BrianSez's Review

Summary - Very Good 3.5

A wonderful diversion in to the life and mind of a peculiar little girl and those around her to try to figure her out. The joy of this movie is the complete immersion in to adolescent playfulness and exploration, set against the angst of adulthood life and the challenge of trying to bridge the gap. Crossing that divide manages to resonate with all of us, young and older. This was a gem of a movie, and if you enjoy drama and high quality acting, you won’t be disappointed.

Acting - Great 4.0

Elle Fanning (Phoebe) is fantastic — such an unbelievable range for such a little girl. She’s going to go places. Tremendous jobs by Felicity Huffman (the mom) and Patricia Clarkson (the teacher), playing two mother figures in Phoebe’s life who actually get her.

Film - Very Good 3.5

Using a girl’s psyche to interweave fantasy in to a film, and do so in a way that teaches us about the characters is not necessarily a new technique, but in Phoebe, we learn about children – a much tougher subject. Of course, it also opens the door to a lot of creative freedoms, which Daniel Barnz utilizes to a maximum benefit.

Edge - Tame 1.5

A few curse words may catch you by surprise…. but that’s about it.

Reality - Glib 1.5

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