The Queue: Phoebe in Wonderland (2009)

I still have no idea how this got on my queue. It's not the type of movie I usually would go out of my way to see, nor would I put it anywhere near the top of my list. Fortunately I gave it a real chance, because it turned out to be a surprisingly powerful film.

Elle Fanning stars as Phoebe, a young girl who's sick of playing by the rules. Rules at school, rules at home, rules seemingly everywhere. Phoebe often finds herself getting in trouble at school, and doesn't fit in with the students around her. Her parents have their own problems. Her mother is struggling to write a thesis based on Alice in Wonderland. Her father is a writer who's sudden success causes rifts within the marriage. Phoebe's only real outlet is her vivid imagination, where she imagines herself and the people around her as charaters from Wonderland. When the opportunity arises for Phoebe to star in a play based on the story, she leaps at the chance. The play is directed by the artful Ms. Dodger(Patricia Clarkson), an enigmatic figure who sees parallels between herself and Phoebe.

Phoebe finds her true calling on stage, and flourishes. But her issues with staying out of trouble continue to haunt her. She becomes increasingly obsessive over minor details. She acts out in uncontrollable rages and bursts of cruelty that leave everyone off guard. Phoebe has a form of Tourette's Syndrome, but her parents refuse to accept it, choosing to ignore the issue for fear of having their child labeled.

This is Elle Fanning's debut in a starring role, and I gotta say that she's already showing the emotional maturity that has made her sister Dakota such a huge star. My biggest fear when dealing with any movie about a specific disease or syndrome is that the performance will be steeped in stereotype or caricature. I never felt that way for a second here. Every performance within is top notch, in particular Clarkson and Felicity Huffman as Phoebe's mom. Personally I'm sick of Bill Pullman and that droopy Dad thing he always does. The guy always looks and sounds like he just got back from a conference on water spigots or something.

I would've liked to have seen this film in the hands of a more dynamic director. Not that Daniel Barnz's approach is bad, it's just not very exciting. The camera remains pretty static throughout, and I often found myself drifting off during the quiet moments. Considering this is a film that's pretty much all quiet moments, you see my problem. But that doesn't negate the strong efforts by the cast, nor the message within. Phoebe in Wonderland is a film that would be perfect for a family movie night, or if you're trying to impart lessons to your kids about being unique and understanding those who are different. Worth checkin' out.

6.5/10

Next up on the Queue: Thomas Jane and Ron Perlman's MUTANT CHRONICLES (2009)