What Maisie Knew
(USA, 93 min.)
Dir. Scott McGehee and David Siegel, Writ. Carrol Cartwright
and Nancy Doyne
Starring: Julianne Moore, Onata Aprile, Alexander Skarsgard,
Joanna Vanderham, Steve Coogan.
I realize that the past three TIFF reviews I have posted
have all approached their films from the angle of adaptation. What Maisie Knew is another example of
the journey from page to screen, so please permit me another, since adaptation
is one of my greater interests when it comes to discussing films. What Maisie Knew deserves to be reviewed
in light of its source material, too, since it is based on the classic novel by
Henry James. It’s especially noteworthy because What Maisie Knew is a good case where the film outdoes the novel.
Susanna and Beale are both terrible parents. They have no
concept of how to care for Maisie, and they are both too self-absorbed and
narcissistic to give her the attention she needs. Thankfully, though, Maisie
has the care of her nanny, Margo (Joanna Vanderham). Maisie, however, learns that
Margo’s role might go beyond that of the nanny, as Maisie discovers that Margo
has now moved into her father’s new apartment. Margo was Maisie’s greatest ally
once, but she becomes part of the mudslinging pack once Susanna learns of
Margo’s relationship with Beale and gets a whiff of her love for Maisie.
Not wanting to seem like the loser in the bunch, Susanna gains
the lead over Beale and shows that she, too, can marry some hot young thing.
Maisie’s new stepfather is Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgard) a friend/groupie in
Susanna’s entourage. Susanna needs Lincoln as a babysitter as well, since she’s
about to embark on another concert tour and can’t be saddled with a child
during all those custody hours for which she fought.
As Susanna and Beale go off and do their own thing, Maisie
gradually becomes aware of her parents’ negligence and comes to view Margo and
Lincoln as the people who truly love her. Maisie is a smart young girl. She is
clever and observational. She is also cute as a button, but she’s not one of
those precocious/annoying buckets of angst and adorability that one sees in the
movies. Maisie is an innocent child, especially as played by newcomer Onata
Aprile, who gives a strong performance and carries the film quite well for an
actress who was only six years old at the time of filming. Maisie is far more
believable onscreen versus on paper. In the book, Maisie, like all James
characters, talks in those grammatically flawless and complexly structured sentences
that one sees only in the work of Henry James. It’s remarkable how well James
conveys Maisie’s rise in consciousness, but the stiff craftsmanship of the
novel frequently betrays its authenticity. Thanks to the retooling by
screenwriters Carrol Cartwright and Nancy Doyne, and directors Scott McGehee
and David Siegel, this version of What
Maisie Knew feels true to life.
The story also benefits from its contemporary setting.
Divorce might have been a greater scandal back in the days of Henry James, but now that roughly half of marriages fail to last, the story simply feels more
relevant and human. The difficult subject matter is handled well by the
directors. This tale of divorce doesn’t feel heavy: it’s surprisingly light,
but never lightweight.
Also quite good is the film’s take on Susanna. Maisie’s
mother is a flat-out monster in the novel, but thanks to the complexity and
pathos that Moore brings to her character, Susanna is not a wholly unlikeable
character. She’s just messed up. She loves Maisie, yet she simply has no idea
of how to be a good mother to her. Moore gives one of her better performances
as Susanna – her last scene with Aprile is especially heart-breaking – so it’s
impossible to hate Susanna no matter how toxic she can be. The ensemble is good
overall, with Skarsgard and newcomer Vanderham holding their own.
Fans of the James novel will certainly appreciate this
modern take on the story. They will also be guessing Maisie’s fate along with
the rest of the audience since her greatest ally in the novel, Mrs. Wix, has
been cut from the story. Those who have read the novel cannot forget that it is
the stalwart Mrs. Wix who finally gains sole care of Maisie (she also holds the
secret of what Maisie knows), so anyone familiar with the book will enjoy
anticipating the end result of the custody battle. Nothing is lost by axing the
fifth wheel from the story. The departure of Mrs. Wix makes the drama more
intimate, and shows how a new coat of paint keeps an old story fresh. Even
better than the book, What Maisie Knew
is a smart and timely family drama.
