What Maisie Knew (2012)

Susanna: I'm sorry baby, I don't want you to be scared of me.....Can I tell you something? Long time ago I was just like you....You know who your mother is, right?

What Maisie Knew is a contemporary adaptation of Henry James' novel that would remind one of Kramer vs Kramer, but only that this story is told through the eyes of a 6 year-old. Maisie (Onata Aprile) is a 6 year-old who seems very mature for her age, and for sure more mature than her bickering parents. When Beale (Steven Coogan) and Susanna (Julianne Moore) seem to have come to the end of the rope, Maisie witnesses the dissolution of their marriage and takes it in her stride. Her nanny, Margo (Joanna Vanderham), tries to protect her from the bad influence even as she prepares to get married to Beale once the divorce goes through.

Beale is an art dealer and Susanna a rockstar, and both are going through their mid-life crisis as their careers have plateaued. While Beale is away on international trips, Margo keeps taking care of Maisie while still being treated as a nanny and not as someone who has a say in the relationship. Meanwhile, Susanna gets married to a bartender, Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgard) who could take care of Maisie on the days she visits her mom. When the selfishness and irresponsibility of both the actual parents take on epic proportions, it's the step-dad and the step-mom who seem to be the only ones concerned about Maisie's well-being.

Directors Scot McGhee and David Siegel have adapted the novel in a contemporary setting in New York to reveal it could be any child's story. With the rising importance of careers for both parents, equally ambitious and understandably so, the upbringing of kids takes a back-seat.  There's no one to blame even though the parents can be extremely careless. And the Maisies of the world know it. Julianne Moore is brilliant in the role of an ageing rockstar who doesn't want to fade away and yet wants to hold on to her child. The chemistry between Alexander Skarsgard and Onata Aprile is great and looks as real as if they are father and child. Joanna Vanderham is also amazing as she feels the pain of a child lost between warring parents while wanting to have something for herself too. The movie is extremely sensitive and at times disturbing. A little gem that should be watched by everyone.

Rating: 7.5/10