What Maisie Knew

4 out of 5 Stars

A tragic and beautiful film.

What Maisie Knew follows a little girl through her parents divorce and the tragic self-centered lives they live and how it effects their child. Focused entirely from the perspective of Maisie, the story unfolds as the little girl is used by the adults around her in a story that is awesome painful to watch.

The film does what a lot of films don't even attempt: to see life through the eyes of a child. In this instance it's a portrait that is occasionally beautiful and often tragic. Both of Maisie's parents are far from perfect and both highly incapable of being responsible enough to care for their child. In the midst of the custody battle Maisie is almost thrown around like a rag doll, watching and uncertain what she is supposed to do and confused about what is happening. It's hard not to feel for her as her parent's actions lead to many negative consequences that neither of them seem to notice.

I've really never seen such an amazing portrayal of the effect two parent's life decisions can have on their child. There are ramifications for our actions and in this story the results are difficult to watch. The portrayal of life is so genuine and fierce that it's difficult not to be invested in the lives of the characters. The performances are brought to life surrounding the subtle expression and reactions of the young lead. There really is not a film quite like it that I have seen.

This is a touching and important story in a society where divorce is normal and what it means to truly love a child. It is heartbreaking but the uplifting ending warrants a watch even if you aren't one for a more melancholy film.

Legion

1 1/2 out of 5 Stars



In this supernatural thriller, God has forsaken humanity, rather completely turned on them, and is now sending angels to destroy our race. There is one child who is mankind's hope and that child is still unborn in the womb of a young mother living by a diner with her father and another young man. Come to save them from the rest is the archangel Michael, who has rebelled against God to come to earth.

The premise of this film alone is enough to take a dive. The idea that angels would come to destroy humanity and take vessels in humans in a demonic state is grasping on the edge. Paul Bettany is convincing as an overly serious angel bent on saving humanity, but even his performance can't save this film. The story carries a cast of characters so one dimensional and stereotypical we have no grounds to care. They carry out their duties and some die and others don't. It's the apocalypse centered on a small diner.

The story of Legion is similar to that of Children of Men. Humanity is lost and only one child can save them. The exception is that Children of Men worked. There is nothing in Legion that causes us to care if the child lives or dies, or anyone else for that matter. The film downplays God to that of a human child who can't decide what he wants. As Michael says at one point to another archangel, "You gave God what he wanted. I gave him what he needed." And to give a storybook ending, the film is narrated by the girl in which she speaks of her mother telling her at bedtime that at one time God got tired of all the people. When she asked her mother why, the answer came, "I guess he just got tired of all the bullsh*t."

That's also what I got tired of during this film.