What Maisie Knew

Millennium Entertainment | Release Date: May 3, 2013

7.8	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 45 Ratings

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BrianMcCriticJul 27, 2013

This is a wonderful film with fantastic performances. This film will use up all of your emotions one moment your angry, another your sad, and even another you maybe happy that Maisie have some people who know what responsibility is and aThis is a wonderful film with fantastic performances. This film will use up all of your emotions one moment your angry, another your sad, and even another you maybe happy that Maisie have some people who know what responsibility is and a sense of stability. Julianne Moore plays a supposed mother who is down right loathsome she may love her child, but she should not be having them. Steve Coogen plays a father who acts like he cares, but is barely around. My favorite character in the film except for the young girl is Lincoln played by Alexander Skarsgard who shows that real love can come from the strangest places. This film however belongs to young Onata Aprile who is pitch perfect as Maize. One of the best movies of the year so far. A… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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M9kiAug 18, 2013

One of my favorite movies of the year, I remember buying the book for my friend and I was amazed that it was on dvd so I though I had to try it and wow was it worth my money.I can relate to this movie,but the actors nailed it.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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monicasMay 16, 2013

This movie is a little gem. I read the New York Times review that said it was "Brilliant" or whatever, and I don't know if I'd go that far, but it's definitely the best movie about divorce and child custody I've ever seen, and it's nothingThis movie is a little gem. I read the New York Times review that said it was "Brilliant" or whatever, and I don't know if I'd go that far, but it's definitely the best movie about divorce and child custody I've ever seen, and it's nothing like Kramer vs. Kramer. It's actually really sweet and real feeling, mostly because you really identify with the little girl Maisie. All the adult actors are great, and sometimes funny (Steve Coogan), but I especially loved Alexander Skarsgard. He seems like a loser when you first see him, but he ends up being super loving, and his scenes with Maisie are really fun to watch. Haters are going to hate, but I think anyone would relate to this film about parents, kids, and finding people to love.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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lasttimeisawAug 5, 2013

Indie director duo McGehee & Siegel has harvested great word-of-mouth and critic appraise for their second feature THE DEEP END (2001, 8/10), although the consecutive spelling bee drama BEE SEASON (2005, 5/10) is a fiasco and after a low-keyIndie director duo McGehee & Siegel has harvested great word-of-mouth and critic appraise for their second feature THE DEEP END (2001, 8/10), although the consecutive spelling bee drama BEE SEASON (2005, 5/10) is a fiasco and after a low-key romance-drama UNCERTAINTY (2009), their fifth collaboration is WHAT MAISIE KNEW, a modern-day custody battle in NYC transposed from Henry James’ 1887 novel of the same title.

Maisie is a beautiful schoolgirl, mom is a rock singer and dad is an art work broker, their bourgeois life has plummeted into chaos when her parents facing an ugly divorce, the contest for her custody introduces Maisie a stepmom and a stepdad, whom Maisie grows close with thanks to the regular negligence of her biological parents.

The film valiantly fixates its camera from Maisie’s angle, she is the reticent victim of the aftermath caused by her parents’ failure to co-exist under the same roof, through her ethereal princess adorableness, the film is ample with aesthetically stunning shots, NYC has never been so unworldly intimate and hauntingly dreamlike, all the more precious, McGehee and Siegel unflaggingly refuses to betray any speck of sentimentality and melancholia, as awful as the situations are, there is no tear-jerking awkwardness, instead, a less-disturbed recording of the hustle and bustle is capable of invoking much more inner ripple effects and self-reflection.

Onata Aprile as Maisie, has been elicited great onscreen glamour through her innocuous postures, she is no crybaby, no temper tantrum either, a dainty soul evolves far maturer than she should have. Moore and Coogan as the biological parents, are the negative examples of parenting, Moore renders a spot-on mimicry in her rockstar garments and delivers an overpowering rancor out of her character’s unlovable carapace while Coogan, sheds his comic burden, is less flamboyant but more cunning than he appears.

Skarsgård and Vanderham, as the young surrogate caretakers of Maisie, the former downplays his masculinity and feels shortchanged as a toy-boy-bartender, the latter is such a boon to the film, Vanderham vibrantly offer her second fiddle role with great emotional ups-and-downs, as her film debut, she should on the list of young talent to watch.

A no-guts-no-glory slant on familial dysfunction on parenting, a moral tale to forewarn those adults who think they can, but are not wise enough to proffer a healthy environment for their children, who supplant devoted love with self-centered egoism and play the under-appreciated one to earn others’ sympathy. What Maisie knew? She knows when adults are lying to her, she knows how to be the grateful to the kindhearted, she knows how to love her parents in spite of their respective imperfection, Maisie knows too much about the despicable world, but she is also a lucky girl, she has found something which is untainted and someone who will cherish her wholeheartedly. The film is an indie gem and attests McGehee and Siegel’s faculty in film-making should not be overlooked.… Expand