Phoebe In Wonderland (2009)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:48
Fresh:28
Rotten:20
Average Rating:5.8/10
Consensus: Blessed with a good cast, Phoebe's heart is in the right place, but its execution is dicey.
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins 1 sec
Genre: Dramas
Synopsis: So much of what constitutes psychological inquiry in cinema is overly simplistic, boiling down the complexity of behavior to clichés. So it’s exceptionally gratifying, when dealing with subjects as... [More]
Starring: Elle Fanning, Patricia Clarkson, Felicity Huffman, Bill Pullman
Director: Daniel Barnz
Reviews for Phoebe In Wonderland
| Tomatometer | Critic | Review | Category |
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 3/4 |
The whimsical and outlandish flights of fantasy are what initially grab the attention, but the greatest virtues are the authentic performances by the cast. Full Review |
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 1.5/5 |
Believable and engaging, Fanning nearly renders the ensuing bore watchable Full Review |
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An off-putting, misguided disease-of-the-week picture that tries to disguise itself as something else before finally coming clean. Full Review |
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4/4 |
[The movie] resists being pigeonholed or easily labeled -- because, like Phoebe herself, the movie is brilliant and a little strange and wonderfully unique. Full Review |
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2/4 |
Ultimately, watching the film becomes a frustrating and annoying experience. Full Review |
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Movies featuring exceptional young actresses have always been near and dear to my heart. Elizabeth Taylor, Tatum O'Neal, Anna Paquin ------ to mention a few ----- are particular favorites of mine. Now I must add Elle Fanning to that list. Full Review |
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"Phoebe in Wonderland" gradually morphs into a psychological drama of deep intensity, with an astounding performance by Fanning. Full Review |
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It needs the power of imagination to be done effectively and I just didn’t think it was here. Full Review |
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I thought this was delightful, a little depressing at times but with three stellar performances from Fanning, Huffman, and Patricia Clarkson. Full Review |
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Elle Fanning, the ten-year-old sister of Dakota, can act like nobody's business, and it is her remarkable ability that carries an otherwise artistic mess of a movie. Full Review |
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C+ |
There's a lot more perspiration than inspiration. Full Review |
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4/4 |
It's 'Fanning'tastic! Full Review |
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B- |
Though Phoebe is nearly too dark for children and nearly too simple for adults, it succeeds as a swirling reminder of what it felt like to get lost in imagination Full Review |
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5.75/10 |
Phoebe in Wonderland has strong, well-nuanced performances and occasionally moving scenes, but often feels pretentious, uneven and slightly vapid. Full Review |
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6/10 |
Despite slow pacing and stretches of clunky dialogue, it is visually imaginative, frank and sensitive as it avoids being another tearjerker about children who are different. Full Review |
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3/4 |
A small movie in size, but large in heart and enthusiasm. Global warming be damned, Elle Fanning's smile alone could melt the polar ice caps. Full Review |
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60/100 |
Visuals aside, what drags Phoebe in Wonderland along is Fanning's performance, but the rest of the film never rises up to the level of her simple moments counting steps or explaining that she has to wash her hands a certain number of times. Full Review |
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[Elle Fanning is] an astonishingly natural and unmannered actress who carries this rather ungainly movie on her narrow shoulders. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Barnz has made a poignant family movie that, despite its thematic material and brief profanity, is appropriate for mature 10-year-olds and older. Full Review |
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3/4 |
Let Clarkson and Fanning take you to the rabbit hole of seductive enchantment that defines this movie. Full Review |
CommentLatest News for Phoebe In Wonderland
March 18, 2009:
Elle Fanning excels in character study of mentally-troubled child. 
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