Storm
Reid Oprah
Winfrey Reese
Witherspoon Mindy
Kaling
Chris Pine Gugu Mbitha-Raw Zach
Galafianakis
Michael Pena
David Oyelowo
This is a fabulous production through and
through. Based on a novel of the
same name by Madeleine L’Engle, it packs an emotional punch in following the
arc of transformation in an embittered girl trying to cope with perceived
abandonment and possible death of her father. She has cut herself off from friends, allowed her
performance at school to slump, and of course then becomes the butt of cruel
barbs from classmates. Her
self-esteem has bottomed out, and it seems as if no one can help her.
But something miraculous happens that reunites
her with her father’s dream and prods her to begin a painful, terrifying
journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
This is where film comes into its own in telling a wondrous story, and
the filmmakers responsible for cinematography, art and production design and
visual and special effects create the magic for us to go on that journey with
her. It will be beautiful, but
terrifying and emotional and exciting as well, as we travel through warped
space and time. An end goal of a
search to find someone actually becomes a rescue mission (of more than one person).
Three supernatural beings make their appearance
in Meg’s (Reid) life in the forms of the three Mrs.: Mrs. Whatsit (Witherspoon), Mrs. Who (Kaling), and Mrs.
Which (Winfrey). They are
other-worldly, but present themselves as “warriors who serve the good and right
in the universe.” Whatsit is more human-like in her
playfulness and in making errors in communication, and she represents the
annoyance of Meg’s mother, her school principal, and friends who get
exasperated with Meg. Who talks in quotes from famous writers
to get her points across, and represents intellectual curiosity and and
warmth—which is a nice combination.
Which is a guiding force that
seems best equipped to get through Meg’s defenses and guide her to a more
realistic picture of herself, emphasizing the fundamental importance of faith
in oneself and allies sticking together.
The fantasy has a way of reminding us of
current events with some of its principles, such as fear leads to rage, which
leads to violence, which leads to darkness. It has a message about the value of individuals’ being a
source of light in dark times.
The positive messages in A Wrinkle in Time make it more than just a thrill and fantasy; it
has substance as well with respect to truthfulness (including to oneself),
frankness (expressing thoughts/feeling that need to come out), and
self-acceptance (including owning and
accepting our faults. We get to
see all the main characters profit from their experiences and
introspection.
Ava DuVernay can be so proud of her
accomplishments in film; it’s mind-blowing to think about how she has ranged
from Selma to A Wrinkle in Time, two vastly different genres and movie
making. The three “Mrs.’s” are
entertaining and extremely helpful to Meg in their insight and encouragement. Meg has two other fine supports on the
journey; her brother (Deric McCabe) and friend Calvin (Levi Miller). Her parents (Pine and Mbitha-Raw), both
scientists, come across as realistic and loving but with flaws. Their mixed-race family is inspiring in
its inclusiveness; although I have to admit that I was a bit turned off by the “preciousness”
of the opening scenes showing the family as more idealistic than real.
A Wrinkle
in Time has some very frightening scenes, so a caution to parents with
sensitive children. They will want
to make sure to wait until their child is older, but above all be prepared to
discuss the movie afterwards with their children, regardless. As an adult, those scenes were
thrilling to me, and add much to the quality of the film, so I’m glad they were
left in.
A marvelous fantasy based on a beloved
book with outstanding visual and special effects and powerful messages for all
kinds of children.
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