What Maisie Knew

This contemporary adaptation of the Henry James novel, written over a century ago, follows a simpler narrative than the book. There are fewer characters and a more compressed timetable, but the basic elements and relationships remain intact. Maisie (played by the exceptional newcomer Onata Aprile) is a sweet, quiet, six-year-old girl who must grow up too quickly when she becomes the principal asset in the divorce of her shallow, irresponsible, and self-interested parents. Her damaged, inconsistent, rock and roll mother (a raw and utterly convincing Julianne Moore) and her distracted, work-obsessed, art-dealing father (Steve Coogan) fight over custody of Maisie, using her as a tool to hurt each other, and a symbolic trophy of sorts. We are shown just enough to see these characters as real, damaged individuals and not just stereotypical "bad parents."

The film is told from Maisie's perspective, which makes the rapid, meat-and-potatoes approach to the storytelling palpable. Each hurried sequence—no scene lasts longer than a minute—spoon-feeds the audience only the specific information we need to know in a given moment. This brisk pace and one-dimensional narrative technique make What Maisie Knew a tense and often unpleasant viewing experience, especially because we are witnessing essentially the same acts of intentional and unintentional emotional cruelty inflicted on this little girl, and on the new lovers each parent takes up with immediately after the divorce. These younger second spouses, played with subtlety and empathy by Alexander Skarsgård and Joanna Vanderham, identify with Maisie because their lovers are using them in much the same way they are her.

We don't get to explore the inner complexities of the adult characters in this story; rather, we see what they are doing and feeling through our adult eyes as we witness Maisie watching them, trying to comprehend everything as best she can. This makes the title apt in a way that differs from the book because we constantly ask ourselves, what does Maisie understand of each situation, and how does it add to her cumulative knowledge of adult behavior? From that perspective, What Maisie Knew is a unique and compelling film—a rare adult picture with a child protagonist that successfully places the viewer in the complex world of a child, rather than presenting a nostalgic and simplified version of what we want a child's world to be.