Review of What Maisie Knew (2013) by Eric A — 14 Jun 2013

Henry James' tome is fascinating study of a child's understanding of the complexities of her all so human parents and those that say that they love her. The script is handled well for its transfer to the 21st century.

Julianne Moore as the rock singer mother and Steve Coogan as Beale play the at odds parents very well. Alexander Skarsgard and Joanna Vanderham are quite accomplished as the paramours who also becomes surrogate parents to Maisie for a time.

Yet there is an important character from the book that talked about virtue and moral compass that does not have a voice in this movie and that is Mrs. Wix. In the book Mrs. Wix is this severe, plain woman who is strong and definitely speaks her mind.

This is a role that could be played by Dame Judi Dench or perhaps Mia Farrow. This woman becomes Maisie's confessor in the end of the book and you really do find the sad lot that Maisie will face as she ages into a young lady.

This is not expressed in the movie. So see the movie--it is good and the young girl is amazingly natural and completely Maisie...she pulls you into the world that Henry James describes in this fascinating story.

..wish the movie stuck more with the book.