 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Phoebe in Wonderland
- Review Date: June 21, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Touching, at times intense drama teaches tolerance, empathy.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although children figure prominently in this fantasy-tinged drama, it deals with themes that are too mature for tweens and younger kids. The young characters exhibit some aggressive behavior -- including spitting, shoving, and self-destructive actions -- and a child is tormented because she can't understand why she behaves the way she does. Her pain is deeply felt, which can make for difficult viewing. That said, the film has lots of heart, and teens and adults who watch may come away feeling educated and little less jaded. Expect some strong language and smoking.
What's the story?
Hillary (Felicity Huffman) knows her 9-year-old daughter marches to the beat of her own drum. Phoebe (Elle Fanning, in an excellent performance) is creative, charismatic, and, yes, troubled. Her world's delicate balance is easily upended, sending her into loops of destructive and obsessive-compulsive behavior (incessant hand-washing, repeating specific stepping sequences). It's hard on her family: Her father is overwhelmed, her younger sister is tired of Phoebe getting all the attention, and Hillary is nearly lost. They all wonder if Phoebe will ever conquer her demons. A lead part in the school play, Alice in Wonderland, and quirky drama teacher Miss Dodger (Patricia Clarkson), may be Phoebe's salvation ... until the principal (Campbell Scott) decides to punish her for another behavioral mishap by yanking her out of it. Everyone wonders: What's wrong with Phoebe?
Is it any good?
Visually appealing and full of surprises, PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND takes audiences on a fanciful journey into a strange world spun by a complicated child. And what a vivid place it is! Writer-director Daniel Barnz paints a colorful, whimsical universe for Phoebe -- one worthy of Alice herself. But it's also moody and foreboding, where life requires running hard just to stay in place, where familiar behaviors both soothe and torment, and where your own skin doesn't feel so good to live in. The grown-ups don't appear to have the answers, either, except perhaps to brand Phoebe as eccentric or problematic.
Barnz keeps the feel kinetic and highly stylized with quick cuts and costumed characters. Everything is made to feel allegorical: Clarkson's Miss Dodger, Scott's principal, and even Phoebe's classmates are all rendered left of center. It's all well and good -- except for the fact that it somewhat misrepresents the film. Viewers expect an oddball denouement, or maybe even a creepy one. But that's not what they get. For what ails Phoebe isn't some mystery or eccentricity; it's something very real and heartbreaking. And when it's revealed, all that fantasy seems unnecessary. The film already does a great job exploring the isolated -- and isolating -- corners of parenting, and it doesn't really need all that whimsy to make its point. With fewer fantastical bells and whistles, PHOEBE IN WONDERLAND wouldn't have been as look-at-me dazzling. But it would have been far more powerful.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how the film blends real life and fantasy. Does the fantasy make the drama more or less effective? Why? How does Phoebe's imagination help her cope with her life? Do you think her parents react appropriately to what's going on? What about her teachers and classmates? What does Phoebe learn from the play, and how does it help her feel better, if at all? How well does the film address any questions about Phoebe's dilemma?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Think before letting your nine or ten year old watch it
I saw this with my mom, and then saw it with my then-nine year old sister. I think it upset her, but she did watch it with me three more times. Language use is normal for a PG-13 movie. The story's theme was mature. I enjoyed it, but it depends on what you like to watch.
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AGE
Great movie for people of all ages that are able to comprehend it
I think this is a great movie for people of all ages that are able to comprehend it. I think if your child is not able to understand it it would not be interesting or good for the child. If your child is able to understand it, this movie will enrich there perspective on life. The parents are not the best roll models for parents at all, the absentee father especially. I really hope that in this day and age fathers of this sort are a rarity.
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Kid, 12 years old
April 2, 2010
AGE
Magical World of Fantasy
Phoebe in Wonderland is the movie you'll defintely not hate. With a good all-star cast and good models. Next to the fantasy Alice in Wonderland.
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AGE
Perfect
Great movie. Not inapropriate for small kids but they may not understnad what is going on.
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AGE
Good for adults and teens. Not for the young...to heavy.
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AGE
This is not a kids' movie. This movie has value but it is not appropriate for young children. It is not your typical Alice story. It is the story of a little girl who turns out to have tourette's syndrome. It is not a light topic. I started to watch it with my 9-year old and 13 year old. Turned it off halfway through. At that point in the movie, the whole thing was just unsettling for the kids.
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AGE
the entire theater wept for Phoebe and her family
Saw this movie last June at a Hollywood preview. It was riveting and moving--I'm so glad it is finally out. Every parent worries about their child and when something is not quite right--it is a frightening journey. I will take my 17 and 11 year old to see it.
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AGE
Really, really weird.... it had no point, but it was fun... in a weird way, I guess. The bloody thing was disturbing.
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AGE
A VERY THOUGHT INSPIRING FILM!
I thought it was a very good movie that takes a lot of knowledge to see and understand this film. I enjoyed it! Even my nine year old daughter and her friend liked it! It is not often you see a film with all kids but the themes require adult perspective.
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AGE
Poor Phoebe!
It's not her fault! I enjoyed this movie, but not as much as I'd hoped. This film is full of sorrow when you try to feel and understand what Phoebe is going through. My only complaint is that it could have had a tad more action, a lot of it seemed too slow.
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| Studio: | THINKFilm |
| Director: | Daniel Barnz |
| Cast: | Elle Fanning, Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 96 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | March 6, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | June 23, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | thematic material and brief strong language |
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