Come Away takes us deep into the world that children use to escape from the real world around them. In this interesting twist to Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan, we follow a family troubled by loss and messy family members.
Come Away draws you in with its wonderful cast and ability to showcase the stories that it gathers inspiration from. While the movie is for an older audience, seeing the little bits and pieces from both such wonderful childhood stories creeping into the scenes helps to hold interest. A lot of the time, the viewer may catch themselves spotting the little details. A Wonderland nod here, Peter’s crocodile there. As someone that enjoys looking for easter eggs in every movie, this was fun for me to search for in Come Away.
The movie is a little slow to start, but the children drew me into the story. Their love for their family drives the story and the reminder to never stop dreaming and utilizing the imagination. The story starts with a grown Alice reading a story to her children. The story, it turns out, is about her experiences growing up.
The story tends to lean more toward Peter Pan in detail because of the younger boy’s need to never grow up. I asked my teenager what her thoughts were about the movie and she said she really enjoyed it and the way they wove in both of the stories to create Come Away.
Come Away is in theaters now and streaming at home on demand.
In this imaginative origin story of two of the most beloved characters in literature – Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland – eight-year-old Alice (Keira Chansa), her mischievous brother Peter (Jordan A. Nash) and their brilliant older sibling David (Reece Yates) let their imaginations run wild one blissful summer in the English countryside. Encouraged by their parents Jack and Rose (David Oyelowo and Angelina Jolie), the kids’ make-believe tea parties, sword fights and pirate ship adventures come to an abrupt end when tragedy strikes. Peter, eager to prove himself a hero to his grief-stricken and financially-struggling parents, journeys with Alice to London, where they try to sell a treasured heirloom to the sinister pawnshop owner known as C.J. (David Gyasi). Returning home, Alice seeks temporary refuge in a wondrous rabbit hole while Peter permanently escapes reality by entering a magical realm as leader of the “Lost Boys.”
Directed By: Brenda Chapman
Written By: Marissa Kate Goodhill
Starring: David Oyelowo, Jordan Nash, Keira Chansa, Reece Yates, Anna Chancellor, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Angelina Jolie, with Derek Jacobi and Michael Caine
Produced By: Steve Richards, Andrea Keir, Leesa Kahn, James Spring, David Oyelowo
