Come Away

Separately, Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan are a part of too many adaptations to count, but I believe this is the first time they’ve ever been tied together in the same story, which screenwriter Marissa Kate Goodhill attempts to do and director Brenda Chapman (Brave) tries to make come alive with the help of some star power David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie.

Based on costumes, sets, language and accents Come Away takes place sometime in the early 19^th Century, England. Jack (Oyelowo) and Rose (Jolie) have been married long enough to have 3 children, the oldest David (Reece Yates) about to go off to boarding school, looks to be about 12 years of age. His siblings Alice (Keira Chansa) and Peter (Jordan A. Nash) are about 8 and 10 respectively.  The family lives in a cozy cottage in the woods, by a river. Modest, yet they can afford a full-time housekeeper/nanny.  

I can accept the concept of both these tales having origins from the same family and then diverging into separate stories over time and retelling. For instance, although Alice carries around a big rabbit, she’s also given a tiny bell and told by her mother that it’s really a fairy named Tinker. The children have an overbearing, rich aunt Eleanor (Anna Chancellor) who wants to see they are brought up properly and she’s depicted as the Red Queen. The inciting incident of older brother David’s drowning is both a reason for younger brother Peter to feel it’s his duty to take his brother’s place and grow up quicker. And at the same time, puts so much pressure on himself that he decides he never wants to grow up. Jack’s unstable father wears a large Top Hat. And boy, does the Captain Hook reference take a very unexpected turn.

Then you have the sad reality parts of the story that don’t tie in with either tale. The relationship between David and Alice before his untimely death, is tight-knit, bordering on the edges of incest. Rose is a warm, loving mother until David’s death drives her to drink. Jack is a model ship builder by trade, but losing his son gives him the excuse to return to an old, uncontrollable gambling habit.

The children’s imaginative play gets weaved into the opening scenes, somewhat effectively, although it does take a moment to realize they’re not actually seeing what you’re seeing. This should set up the coming fantasy sequences nicely, unfortunately, this is where I feel the movie fails abysmally. It’s something we’ve seen a million times, where reality and fantasy, actuality and escapism blend together into a magical adventure. That’s why it’s so jarring when your mind is struggling to accept the two worlds. I found myself not only lost and uninterested in the transitions, but not wanting to be either place with any of the characters. 

The screenplay wants to do a good many things and doesn’t accomplish any of them very well. Surprisingly, David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie have absolutely 0 chemistry, so whether their marriage is working or falling apart is of little consequence. Keira Chansa is exquisitely beautiful, but neither she nor Jordan A. Nash are good enough actors to be in a movie of this size, with so much focus upon them. 

Once again, as with A Wrinkle in Time, we’re looking at fantasy, a mixed couple with bi-racial children (in fact, Gugu Mbatha-Raw is in this movie as the grown up Alice) and a female director – all things I wholeheartedly applaud! Which is why it hurts so much when I have to say, I can’t recommend it.

T&T @largeassmovieblogs rating: 2 outta 5