Phoebe in Wonderland is an oddly charming tale of confusion, seclusion, and a little girl just trying to find some answers. It takes a troubled child's struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder and frames it around the classic tale of "Alice in Wonderland." There is an intriguing connection between the fantasy world of Wonderland and a certain harshness and lack of understanding in the real world.
Phoebe (Fanning) is often the subject of ridicule due to her OCD that often gets her into trouble. The teachers and her school principal have no understanding of what she is going through. Her parents, played by Felicity Huffman and Bill Pullman, try to understand and be there for her as much as they can. They really don't know how to react to her most of the time so they end up sending her to a shrink. Even Phoebe's younger sister, Olivia (Bailee Madison), seems to resent her. The world of "Alice and Wonderland" seems to be a much more freeing one opposed to the world obsessed with rules and restrictions that she lives in. Phoebe has many visions where she sees and interacts with these supposedly fictional characters. She goes to them for answers for everything she doesn't seem to be able to understand on her own.
When Phoebe's school announces they will be putting on the play, "Alice in Wonderland," Phoebe becomes completely consumed with getting the part of Alice. She tears herself apart with doubt, but she manages to get the part. The drama teacher, Miss Dodger (Patricia Clarkson), at first seems like another stern adult, but ends up being the only person in the real world that has an understanding towards her. In play practice, there aren't the rigid rules that seem to be present everywhere else. The children get their scripts, but then when they ask what they're supposed to do, Miss Dodger answers by asking them what they think they should do. The play ends up being a freeing agent and truly a representation of the kids that are in it. The Wonderland world and that of the play rehearsals begin to become one. Phoebe still struggles and seems to have a lot working against her, but perhaps acceptance isn't only possible in Wonderland.
Elle Fanning gives a completely mesmerizing and enlightening performance as Phoebe. Dakota is clearly not the only Fanning with alluring talent. Elle Fanning shows the trouble, frustration, and loneliness that seems to go along with the quirks and struggles of OCD and Turret's Syndrome. She also shows this bright, glowing young girl ready for adventure and to explore all that is inside of her imagination. Fanning shows a very kindhearted girl in Phoebe. You can't help but care for her as Fanning engages you wholeheartedly. Patricia Clarkson also gives a great performance as Miss Dodger. At first she seems cold, strict, and withdrawn, but as the film goes on we realize she is one of the most understanding characters, embracing difference and looking down on the "awful normals." She is strong, but extremely freeing. Clarkson makes the transformation into a Alice-like character that is quite whimsical. Felicity Huffman also did very well as the struggling mother, Hillary. She showed how Hillary really didn't know how to be there for Phoebe, no matter how much she wanted to. She was working on a thesis about "Alice in Wonderland" that she planned on turning into a book. The connection couldn't be denied, thus she ended up blaming herself for Phoebe's preoccupation with "Alice in Wonderland and everything she was going through. Hillary thought her daughter was just trying to get her attention and substituting the story for her mother. Huffman really shows the struggles, depicting a lighthearted, caring mother as well as a heartbroken one. Bill Pullman did fairly well also as the somewhat withdrawn father. He seemed to have much less patience with Phoebe, expecting her to be able to change and thinking it was only her own fault that she hadn't done so already.
There are strong issues of parenting in the film. Both of Phoebe's parents are writers, but Hillary never seems to have time to write anymore. She is so consumed with her children, but particularly Phoebe. She wants her to just fit in and be normal, but at the same time she wants to hold onto Phoebe's imaginativeness and uniqueness. Hillary struggles between work and her children. Even though it seems like her work is suffering, she doesn't seem to be having much progress with Phoebe either. So she assumes she is a bad mother even though Phoebe's troubles may not be as much about Hillary as she is thinking. We are shown the constant struggle of trying to be a good parent while still working towards your own career. This is hard enough, but when OCD and the unnoticed Turret's Syndrome are involved, things become even more frustrating.
Through Phoebe's school, we are also given strong themes of the conformity and control many adults treat children with. Questions are only welcomed when "it is the time for questions," not supporting the children's growing minds and active curiosities. Difference is punished and blamed rather than explored. Unfortunately, oftentimes this is the way schools work. The rules and judgments end up restricting any type of free thought. There are a lot of adult themes in "Phoebe in Wonderland" for a movie that seems like a kids/family film on the outside. Older audiences probably will get more out of it, but the film can serve as quite an adventure for kids as well. They will see it through Phoebe's dreamlike interactions with Wonderland and their own cravings of a freeing world void of all of the rules that are just as present in their world as in Phoebe's.
The cinematography in the film is beautiful, especially when we are in Wonderland. Swirling bright colors fill the screen and take the viewer off to this world with Phoebe. Nearly everything in the film is wildly imaginative, which just embodies the audience. This is a great accomplishment for writer/director, Daniel Barnz, as this is his first feature film. He nails his first effort, giving us a unique and fresh film blessed with a strikingly engaging cast. "Phoebe in Wonderland" is a dazzling dreamlike film that explores a great range of material, very relatable to many of our everyday lives.
Kelsey Zukowski
Phoebe in Wonderland
Phoebe in Wonderland is an oddly charming tale of confusion, seclusion, and a little girl just trying to find some answers. It takes a troubled child's struggle with obsessive compulsive disorder and frames it around the classic tale of "Alice in Wonderland." There is an intriguing connection between the fantasy world of Wonderland and a certain harshness and lack of understanding in the real world.
Phoebe (Fanning) is often the subject of ridicule due to her OCD that often gets her into trouble. The teachers and her school principal have no understanding of what she is going through. Her parents, played by Felicity Huffman and Bill Pullman, try to understand and be there for her as much as they can. They really don't know how to react to her most of the time so they end up sending her to a shrink. Even Phoebe's younger sister, Olivia (Bailee Madison), seems to resent her. The world of "Alice and Wonderland" seems to be a much more freeing one opposed to the world obsessed with rules and restrictions that she lives in. Phoebe has many visions where she sees and interacts with these supposedly fictional characters. She goes to them for answers for everything she doesn't seem to be able to understand on her own.
When Phoebe's school announces they will be putting on the play, "Alice in Wonderland," Phoebe becomes completely consumed with getting the part of Alice. She tears herself apart with doubt, but she manages to get the part. The drama teacher, Miss Dodger (Patricia Clarkson), at first seems like another stern adult, but ends up being the only person in the real world that has an understanding towards her. In play practice, there aren't the rigid rules that seem to be present everywhere else. The children get their scripts, but then when they ask what they're supposed to do, Miss Dodger answers by asking them what they think they should do. The play ends up being a freeing agent and truly a representation of the kids that are in it. The Wonderland world and that of the play rehearsals begin to become one. Phoebe still struggles and seems to have a lot working against her, but perhaps acceptance isn't only possible in Wonderland.
Elle Fanning gives a completely mesmerizing and enlightening performance as Phoebe. Dakota is clearly not the only Fanning with alluring talent. Elle Fanning shows the trouble, frustration, and loneliness that seems to go along with the quirks and struggles of OCD and Turret's Syndrome. She also shows this bright, glowing young girl ready for adventure and to explore all that is inside of her imagination. Fanning shows a very kindhearted girl in Phoebe. You can't help but care for her as Fanning engages you wholeheartedly. Patricia Clarkson also gives a great performance as Miss Dodger. At first she seems cold, strict, and withdrawn, but as the film goes on we realize she is one of the most understanding characters, embracing difference and looking down on the "awful normals." She is strong, but extremely freeing. Clarkson makes the transformation into a Alice-like character that is quite whimsical. Felicity Huffman also did very well as the struggling mother, Hillary. She showed how Hillary really didn't know how to be there for Phoebe, no matter how much she wanted to. She was working on a thesis about "Alice in Wonderland" that she planned on turning into a book. The connection couldn't be denied, thus she ended up blaming herself for Phoebe's preoccupation with "Alice in Wonderland and everything she was going through. Hillary thought her daughter was just trying to get her attention and substituting the story for her mother. Huffman really shows the struggles, depicting a lighthearted, caring mother as well as a heartbroken one. Bill Pullman did fairly well also as the somewhat withdrawn father. He seemed to have much less patience with Phoebe, expecting her to be able to change and thinking it was only her own fault that she hadn't done so already.
There are strong issues of parenting in the film. Both of Phoebe's parents are writers, but Hillary never seems to have time to write anymore. She is so consumed with her children, but particularly Phoebe. She wants her to just fit in and be normal, but at the same time she wants to hold onto Phoebe's imaginativeness and uniqueness. Hillary struggles between work and her children. Even though it seems like her work is suffering, she doesn't seem to be having much progress with Phoebe either. So she assumes she is a bad mother even though Phoebe's troubles may not be as much about Hillary as she is thinking. We are shown the constant struggle of trying to be a good parent while still working towards your own career. This is hard enough, but when OCD and the unnoticed Turret's Syndrome are involved, things become even more frustrating.
Through Phoebe's school, we are also given strong themes of the conformity and control many adults treat children with. Questions are only welcomed when "it is the time for questions," not supporting the children's growing minds and active curiosities. Difference is punished and blamed rather than explored. Unfortunately, oftentimes this is the way schools work. The rules and judgments end up restricting any type of free thought. There are a lot of adult themes in "Phoebe in Wonderland" for a movie that seems like a kids/family film on the outside. Older audiences probably will get more out of it, but the film can serve as quite an adventure for kids as well. They will see it through Phoebe's dreamlike interactions with Wonderland and their own cravings of a freeing world void of all of the rules that are just as present in their world as in Phoebe's.
The cinematography in the film is beautiful, especially when we are in Wonderland. Swirling bright colors fill the screen and take the viewer off to this world with Phoebe. Nearly everything in the film is wildly imaginative, which just embodies the audience. This is a great accomplishment for writer/director, Daniel Barnz, as this is his first feature film. He nails his first effort, giving us a unique and fresh film blessed with a strikingly engaging cast. "Phoebe in Wonderland" is a dazzling dreamlike film that explores a great range of material, very relatable to many of our everyday lives.
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