What Maisie Knew

I was prepared for disappointment because of the several glowing reviews I'd read, but instead I found the film arresting, intelligent, brave, and warm. The despicable parents were perfectly portrayed by Mr. Coogan (Beale) and Ms. Moore (Susanna). Even through their bleary-eyed self-absorption, there emerged flashes of humanity from each, which kept the film true to its caricature-free presentation of a dissolving family.The reviews have gushed over Onata Aprile's performance as Maisie, and they got it right. She is never cloying, although naturally adorable, with just the right amount of beyond-her-years observations of her parents' incessant bickering and palpable hate for each other. The observations never spoken (with one exception) but reflected in her face: a pitch-perfect combination of dismay, six-year-old disbelief, fear, helplessness, and I'm-getting-through-this-by-myself intrepidity. Only at the end does what she 'knew' come out in one searing question to Margot (dad's new wife) as Margot is melting down over one of Beale's searingly thoughtless disappearances and disregard for any of Margot's possible feelings: "Will you stay together?" Brilliant.Meanwhile, Alexander Skarsgaard (Lincoln) and Johanna Vanderham (Margot) are believable as the wide-eyed optimist and kind, nurturing nanny, respectively, and soon disillusioned spouses of Maisie's now-remarried parents. Lincoln quickly learns he is Susanna's boy-toy and easy replacement for nanny Margot to be stuck being Maisie's care-giver with no thought for the strains on his young bartender’s life. Luckily for Maisie - and for us the audience - he rises to the occasion, and his natural kindness and empathetic character help hugely to keep Maisie from being totally abandoned as her parents continue their guerrilla warfare even after their divorce and remarriages. Margot, too, cares about Maisie even after she's relieved of her Nanny's duties, and several times rescues Maisie from Beale's forgetfulness and serial abandonment of Maisie at school. We come to root for Margot and Lincoln as the only decent adults in Maisie's life outside of school. Of course, one corny plot point - which we knew from the first was inevitable - is Lincoln's and Margot's hook-up and connection. In best Hollywood fashion, they deserve each other as finding the polar opposites of their awful spouses, but isn't it just a bit too convenient? Well, I'm happy for them and for Maisie who, at the end of the film at least, is in their care. Mom and dad have both absconded to try and gather the remnants of their former life - she, the fading pop diva, on a road trip, and he running back home in England to find a few 'coins' he seems to be out of in New York.Moore is great in projecting her version of love for her daughter (full of hugs and passionate declamations) which always loses out to the demands of her career. Coogan is amazing as a cad and as a guy who really doesn't give a crap about being a dad to Maisie but in his final departing scene evidencing some awareness of how his abandoning his daughter may not be the coolest biographical entry in his resume.It’s a really fine film, notable for its avoidance of most of the clichés that would typically smother such an affecting story and saved it from the kind of Hollywood emotional excesses that make it hard to suspend our disbelief. The writers and directors found just the right tone. The actors, to a man and woman, played (mostly) believable parts and brought a terrific story and script to vivid life. Good for them…and us.

This was recommended to me & I didn't expect much but the eye candy of Alexander Skarsgard, but what the heck? What I didn't expect was the very moving story & too often told tale of a little girl caught between her parents as their relationship crumbles. The poor child is used as an instrument to torment the other parent between custody hearings & scheduled visitations, grilled by the mother upon return from the father, and the same interrogations from him. The mother is a hot mess while the father clearly only wants custody as a means of tormenting the mother further. There are marriages for each of the parents & it's in these step-parent relationships where the dynamics begin to take shape while others begin to crumble. Throughout all of this, Maisie, the little girl, quietly goes through her life from parent to parent, house to house, having fun, and going to school. She's a silent watcher though of all that's happening around her... Her father's marriage & the problems stemming from it, her mother and the secrets she shares with Maisie about her marriage, her mother's insane rages, her father's treatment of her & everyone else in his life, and more. We see all of these things & it's astounding - some of the performances are just stunning. Skarsgard is great as a young guy who thinks he's just going to be hanging out with a little kid sometimes during the day but who really comes through for this child & learns biology isn't what makes you a parent. The little girl playing Maisie is simply amazing! Her silence & facial expressions do more speaking than most of her actual lines, and say more than a child could convey with words anyway. It's an outstanding performance for a child. Watching she & Skarsgard together was just one joyful part of the movie. If you can watch the two of them together & not smile, you have no heart! The relationship between the two of them is so lovely & I found myself holding my breath for the inevitable to take place - it did, and I finally got to breathe again! Get the tissues out for those scenes! Keep them handy for the rest of the movie. If you have kids, if you're a single parent, you'll "get" this movie. If you were raised as the child of a single parent, you'll get it & it might hit a bit close to home. If you're not any of those, you may enjoy the acting & drama for the story, or you just might enjoy the eye candy of ASkars! It's a topic that's not often brought up, so it's something not often explored. It's very compelling & so well done. I plan to watch it again!

Something a bit different with Maisie in the middle of a custody battle between her parents. Mums new husband Alexander Skarsgard, seems to be the only one with any compassion for the little girl and his gentle kindness saves the day. Skarsgard is great and makes the movie, along with young Maisie. Julianne Moore plays mum, Steve Coogan the ex dad. Good cast.

ACHTUNG! NICHT FREI VON SPOILERN!!!Julianne Moore (Susanna) und Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgard), der Hauptdarsteller des Dramas ist Maisie (Onata Aprile).Das arme Mädchen wird zum Zankapfel zwischen Susanna und Ehemann Beale (Steve Coogan). Beide lieben Maisie, aber die Ehe zwischen der Rocksängerin und dem Kunsthändler ist zu Ende. Um Vorteile bei der gerichtlichen Entscheidung über das Sorgerecht zu bekommen, heiraten sie schnell erneut, Beale das junge Kindermädchen Margo (Joanna Vandeerham), zu dem Maisie eine gute Beziehung hat, Susanna den deutlich jüngeren Barkeeper Lincoln. Immer wieder gibt es vor den Augen des Kindes Streit bei der Übergabe des Kindes, und bald bleibt die Betreuung der kleinen Maisie bei den neuen jungen Ehepartnern. Maisie liebt die Eltern und freut sich jedesmal', wenn Susanna von einer Konzerttournee oder Beale von einer Geschäftsreise zurückkommt, aber Maisie darf bei der Mutter nur zusehen, wie in einer verqualmten Bude Musik gemacht wird, und Beale geht schließlich aus beruflichen Gründen nach London.Margo hilft Lincoln öfter aus der Patsche, wenn er sich nicht um Maisie kümmern kann, Lincoln bricht mit der Rabenmutter, die eifersüchtig auf seine gute Beziehung zu Maisie ist, Margo war von Beale ausgesperrt worden.Spätestens ab der Mitte des Filmes ahnen wir, dass die Entwicklung auf eine Beziehung von Lincoln und Margo hinausläuft, aber so einfach macht es uns der Film nicht. Wir sehen die Eltern, die beide eine reine Zweckehe im Kampf um das Sorgerecht eingegangen sind und sich dann das Kind teilen müssen, beide und Maisie freuen sich bei einem Wiedersehen, aber ansonsten leben sie ihr egozenrtrisches Leben. Maisie bleibt schließlich bei den jüngeren Stiefeltern die sich angenähert haben, aber die Zukunft bleibt offen.Das Ende und eigentlich der gesamte Film sind unbefriedigend, aber wenn wir Maisie und nicht die vier Erwachsenen als Hauptfigur sehen, wird die Sache anders. "What Maisie knew" (Was Maisie wusste) lautet der Titel des Romans von Henry James aus dem Jahre 1897, der deutsche Titel wurde, wie ein Mitrezensent passend bemerkte, aus der Lostrommel gezogen. Egal was passiert, immer ist Maisie im Film präsent, wird vieles nicht verstehen, bekommt Streitereien der Eltern vor der Scheidung mit, das Gezerre um sie nach der Trennung der Eltern, die sie nach wie vor liebt, aber am Ende des Filmes merkt sie selber, dass sie trotz aller Liebe bei den Stiefeltern besser aufgehoben ist.Wenn wir von dem Film eine runde Sache erwarten, werden wir enttäuscht, Maisies Leben zwischen sich selber mehr als die Tochter liebenden Eltern läuft nicht rund, und der Film hat ein offenes Ende. Maisie hat Glück, dass sie Margo als ihr Kindermädchen schon kennengelernt hat und dass der Barkeeper sie nicht als lästiges Anhängsel von Susanna sieht, sondern sie so gerne hat, dass diese eifersüchtig wird, möglicherweise unbewußt als Ausdruck eines schlechten Gewissens, weil sie ihr Kind sträflich vernachlässigt. Und letzlich liebt sie Maisie doch noch so, dass sie erkennt, dass es schlecht für die Tochter wäre, sie den Stiefeltern zu entreissen und sie mit auf Tournee zu nehmen.Wie wird es Maisie ergehen? Am Ende des Filmes ist der Stand der, dass sie ihre Eltern liebt, sie wird sich immer freuen, wenn sie ein Elternteil wiedersieht, aber (Siehe Buchtitel) sie weiß oder spürt, dass sie in der überwiegenden Zeit besser bei Margo und Lincoln aufgehoben ist. Bleiben Margo und Lincoln zusammen und wie wird Maisie als älteres Kind oder Erwachsene die Sache sehen? Das wäre Thema für einen anderen Film.Wer einen Liebesfilm mit Happy End erwartet, wird enttäuscht sein, wer sich darauf einlässt, dass die Hauptdarstellerin das kleine Mädchen ist und Julianne Moore hier eher "Zugpferd", sieht einen toll inszenierten Film, in dem ein Mädchen die in der Situation beste Alternative für sich wählt.Doc Halliday

ce film va vous faire du bien! la petite actrice qui interprète Maisie est si attachante et craquante, elle perçoit de ses yeux innocents l'absurdité des conflits entre adultes qui se pourrissent l'existence, et à travers elle on s'attache plus au plaisir des choses simples et des belles couleurs qu'offre la vie! Julianne Moore est toujours excellente, le scénario et la mise en scène sont parfaites, c'est une bouffée d'air frais parmi tous ces films d'action débiles et violents!à noter que cette édition bluray comporte des sous-titres français pour les amoureux comme moi de la VOST.

I loved the Henry James novel and was therefore, eager to read how this story would be contextualized for the 21st century. Excellent effort! It needs to be said, however, that the movie would not have been as successful had it not been for the acting of Onata Aprile; she is in every scene and has such on-screen presence. Often her thoughts and feelings are revealed without words; the subtlety of her facial expressions and movements say it all. This subtlety of movement, the minimilization of words of Maisie (and also to a point, Lincoln and Margot) are in direct contrast to the loud, dramatic characters of her real parents, Susanna and Beale. Also, the chemistry Maisie has with Lincoln is remarkable.I would not have bought the DVD had it not been for the performance of this most remarkable young actress. Excellent job!

Six year old Maisie (Onate Aprile) is caught in the middle of a fierce and acrimonious split between her parents, Susanna (Julianne Moore) and Beale (Steve Coogan). The result of the parents' in-fighting is that poor, little Maisie is shoved from pillar to post between each dysfunctional parent, their nanny, Margo (Joanna Vanderham), and Susanna's surprise new husband, bartender Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgard). What Maisie Knew [DVD ] follows the endearing story of little Maisie's survival and search for a loving home and family life; it ends full of hope in the hands of two people one might not have expected at the beginning: the nanny and the bartender. Throughout the film, though, the viewer is kept on tenderhooks, and disbelief that despite each parent's professed love for their child, their own selfishness and narcissism is what shines through.I was lucky enough to watch  What Maisie Knew [DVD ] at the Roslyn Cinema on Long Island while I was visiting my brother in June 2013, although I have yet to read the Henry James novel of the same name on which it is based. It was such a moving film, and with superb acting from all involved - especially from Onate in her debut role. I had hoped to watch it again upon its UK cinema release. Unfortunately, with a hectic work schedule, I missed it at the local cinema, but I was able to pre-order the DVD for when that was released last week.The deleted scenes in the Bonus Features section are excellent, and the directors' commentary is both interesting and informative. All are certainly worth watching too.Several excellent films were released last year. However, in my opinion,  What Maisie Knew [DVD ] is possibly the best film of 2013. What Maisie Knew [DVDWhat Maisie Knew [DVDWhat Maisie Knew [DVD