By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
The live-action fantasy adventure
?Come Away? from director Brenda Chapman (?The Prince of Egypt? and ?Brave?) is a bold and magical ride that weaves elements of ?Peter Pan? and ?Alice in Wonderland.?
It?s a prequel of sorts, and the film?s star-studded veteran cast of Angelina Jolie, David Oyelowo, Michael Caine, Clarke Peters (Hatter) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Adult Alice), not to mention the talented kid actors on board such as Jordan A. Nash (?Aladdin?), Keira Chansa (National Theatre Live: Small Island) and Reece Yates (?Les Miserables?), makes this re-imagined fairytale soar.
David (Yates), Alice (Chansa) and Peter (Nash, ) are playful and spirited siblings. Their parents, Jack, and Rose Littleton (Oyelowo and Jolie) could not be prouder of them. They provide a nurturing and loving home. Jack is a handyman who makes stunning miniature ships for the rich and Rose is always there for the children.
The kids let their imaginations run wild as they play regularly throughout the woods at their spacious English house. They become captains and pirates and enjoy sword fighting and all other fun kid things like playing aboard a discarded boat and having tea parties with toy, stuffed animals and the like.
Their lives are good until tragedy strikes. Then it becomes increasingly difficult for Jack and Rose to deal with the devastating loss. Soon, debts are piling up and they are unsure of how they?ll survive. What is worse is Jack has been gambling again and Rose starts drinking to try and cope with their sudden downturn.
It doesn?t help that Rose?s snooty sister Eleanor (Anna Chancellor, ?TV?s ?The Split?) is jealous of her and the kids and now wants to take them and raise them ?properly? so they?ll grow up to be respectable, high society adults. But Peter, has no desire to grow up and fit that mold and he lets everyone know.
?Come Away? takes slightly dark turn as Jack attempts to make good on his gambling and things initially do not work out too for him.
Still, it?s not hard to get swept away by this whimsical and charming story. ?Come Away? is a fun romp that is sure to capture the heart and imagination of kids of all ages.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 6:20 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Majestic Trailer For
"COME AWAY"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics? Association (BFCA), The Black Film Critics Circle (BFCC) and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
