Johnny Depp’s chameleon ability to go from distinct role to distinct role is incredible. At the beginning of FINDING NEVERLAND, it looks like Mr. Depp is taking this movie off as he seems to be playing nothing more than himself with a Scottish accent. By the end of the movie, though, I’ve forgotten that Depp isn’t from Scotland and I can see that he has given a flavor to his character that is more subtle than usual, but just as memorable. But Depp’s performance, in my opinion, isn’t even the best in the movie: that honor goes to Freddie Highmore, the actor playing little Peter who made this reviewer want to pull him off the screen and hug him.

Finding Neverland is the “inspired by true events” (in other words mostly made up) story of playwright J.M. Barrie (Depp) who has just written a flop and now finds inspiration in the widowed Llewelyn Davies family. Silvia Davies (Kate Winslet) is trying to maintain some independence from her wealthy mother Emma du Maurier (played by Julie Christie), while still providing fully for her boys. Three out of the four Llewelyn Davies boys are normal, strangely non-precocious kids who are very pleased to meet Barrie and to join him on various imagination-based adventures. But the second youngest, Peter, is a little skeptical of Barrie and seems wary of him trying to take over as Dad.

Meanwhile, neither Barrie's significant other, Mary Ansell Barrie (Radha Mitchell), nor Silvia Davies' mother, Grandmother Emma, are pleased with the arrangement. Mrs. Barrie seems to feel that Mr. Barrie is spending more time with Silvia Davies than with his own wife, while Silvia's mother seems to feel that Mr. Barrie is going to scare off any legitimate suitors for her daughter.

Nevertheless, Barrie continues to play with the Llewelyn Davies family and ever-so-slowly even little Peter becomes inspired. But Barrie is inspired even more as he creates from their imaginary adventures a play about Peter Pan.

It is a beautifully told story, but in the end it may just be too hard on my tear ducts. And don’t be fooled by the Peter Pan affiliation; it is not necessarily a story for kids. But it is inspiring if you can get past the sad parts and if you’re looking for a muse to write your own famous play, this may be it.