What Maisie Knew

Name: What Maisie Knew
Genre: Drama, Family
Released: May 3, 2013
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Joanna Vanderham, Julianne Moore, Onata Aprile, Steve Coogan

2013

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 45 Ratings

See All

7.8

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

7.8	Your Score
7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 45 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

What Maisie Knew

Now Playing: What Maisie Knew

Movie Details & Credits

Millennium Entertainment | Release Date: May 3, 2013 | R

Starring: Alexander Skarsgård, Joanna Vanderham, Julianne Moore, Onata Aprile, Steve Coogan

Summary: In this update of Henry James' classic novel, a young girl is caught in the middle of her parents' bitter divorce.

Director: David Siegel and Scott McGehee

Genre(s): Drama, Family

Rating: R

Runtime: 99 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Stream On

Buy on

Stream On

Expand

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

100

Claudia Puig

May 23, 2013

Who would have thought that one of the most provocative and affecting films made about the fallout from 21st century divorce would have emanated from a 19th century novel? Read full review

Betsy Sharkey

May 16, 2013

This is a beautifully rendered film. Read full review

Peter Rainer

May 3, 2013

The film stands quite well on its own. The directors have made the right, essential decision to make the movie almost entirely from Maisie’s point of view. Read full review

Andrew O'Hehir

Jun 12, 2013

It’s probably best to approach Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s intimate, unnerving and entirely addictive drama What Maisie Knew by not leaning too hard on its Henry James source material. Read full review

RogerEbert.com Sheila O'Malley

Jun 11, 2013

Some of the twists the film takes, particularly in its final third, strain the powers of belief, but the ending, thankfully, does not soft-pedal all that came before. Read full review

Barbara VanDenburgh

May 23, 2013

The film wraps up too neatly to be believed, not leaving questions unanswered so much as failing to ask them. Read full review

Chris Cabin

Apr 27, 2013

David Siegel and Scott McGehee's film renders the rhapsodic Henry James novel of the same name into an abhorrent slice of tasteless familial drama. Read full review

SEE ALL 32 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

BrianMcCritic

Jul 27, 2013

This is a wonderful film with fantastic performances. This film will use up all of your emotions one moment your angry, another your sad, and even another you maybe happy that Maisie have some people who know what responsibility is and a sense of stability. Julianne Moore plays a supposedThis is a wonderful film with fantastic performances. This film will use up all of your emotions one moment your angry, another your sad, and even another you maybe happy that Maisie have some people who know what responsibility is and a sense of stability. Julianne Moore plays a supposed mother who is down right loathsome she may love her child, but she should not be having them. Steve Coogen plays a father who acts like he cares, but is barely around. My favorite character in the film except for the young girl is Lincoln played by Alexander Skarsgard who shows that real love can come from the strangest places. This film however belongs to young Onata Aprile who is pitch perfect as Maize. One of the best movies of the year so far. A… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

zeNap

Nov 9, 2013

Onata Aprile (Maisie) kills it in this movie! Rock solid performance. She outshines Julianne Moore in this movie about divorce and child custody. This is a must see for anyone out there!

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

monicas

May 16, 2013

This movie is a little gem. I read the New York Times review that said it was "Brilliant" or whatever, and I don't know if I'd go that far, but it's definitely the best movie about divorce and child custody I've ever seen, and it's nothing like Kramer vs. Kramer. It's actually really sweetThis movie is a little gem. I read the New York Times review that said it was "Brilliant" or whatever, and I don't know if I'd go that far, but it's definitely the best movie about divorce and child custody I've ever seen, and it's nothing like Kramer vs. Kramer. It's actually really sweet and real feeling, mostly because you really identify with the little girl Maisie. All the adult actors are great, and sometimes funny (Steve Coogan), but I especially loved Alexander Skarsgard. He seems like a loser when you first see him, but he ends up being super loving, and his scenes with Maisie are really fun to watch. Haters are going to hate, but I think anyone would relate to this film about parents, kids, and finding people to love.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

lasttimeisaw

Aug 5, 2013

Indie director duo McGehee & Siegel has harvested great word-of-mouth and critic appraise for their second feature THE DEEP END (2001, 8/10), although the consecutive spelling bee drama BEE SEASON (2005, 5/10) is a fiasco and after a low-key romance-drama UNCERTAINTY (2009), their fifthIndie director duo McGehee & Siegel has harvested great word-of-mouth and critic appraise for their second feature THE DEEP END (2001, 8/10), although the consecutive spelling bee drama BEE SEASON (2005, 5/10) is a fiasco and after a low-key romance-drama UNCERTAINTY (2009), their fifth collaboration is WHAT MAISIE KNEW, a modern-day custody battle in NYC transposed from Henry James’ 1887 novel of the same title.

Maisie is a beautiful schoolgirl, mom is a rock singer and dad is an art work broker, their bourgeois life has plummeted into chaos when her parents facing an ugly divorce, the contest for her custody introduces Maisie a stepmom and a stepdad, whom Maisie grows close with thanks to the regular negligence of her biological parents.

The film valiantly fixates its camera from Maisie’s angle, she is the reticent victim of the aftermath caused by her parents’ failure to co-exist under the same roof, through her ethereal princess adorableness, the film is ample with aesthetically stunning shots, NYC has never been so unworldly intimate and hauntingly dreamlike, all the more precious, McGehee and Siegel unflaggingly refuses to betray any speck of sentimentality and melancholia, as awful as the situations are, there is no tear-jerking awkwardness, instead, a less-disturbed recording of the hustle and bustle is capable of invoking much more inner ripple effects and self-reflection.

Onata Aprile as Maisie, has been elicited great onscreen glamour through her innocuous postures, she is no crybaby, no temper tantrum either, a dainty soul evolves far maturer than she should have. Moore and Coogan as the biological parents, are the negative examples of parenting, Moore renders a spot-on mimicry in her rockstar garments and delivers an overpowering rancor out of her character’s unlovable carapace while Coogan, sheds his comic burden, is less flamboyant but more cunning than he appears.

Skarsgård and Vanderham, as the young surrogate caretakers of Maisie, the former downplays his masculinity and feels shortchanged as a toy-boy-bartender, the latter is such a boon to the film, Vanderham vibrantly offer her second fiddle role with great emotional ups-and-downs, as her film debut, she should on the list of young talent to watch.

A no-guts-no-glory slant on familial dysfunction on parenting, a moral tale to forewarn those adults who think they can, but are not wise enough to proffer a healthy environment for their children, who supplant devoted love with self-centered egoism and play the under-appreciated one to earn others’ sympathy. What Maisie knew? She knows when adults are lying to her, she knows how to be the grateful to the kindhearted, she knows how to love her parents in spite of their respective imperfection, Maisie knows too much about the despicable world, but she is also a lucky girl, she has found something which is untainted and someone who will cherish her wholeheartedly. The film is an indie gem and attests McGehee and Siegel’s faculty in film-making should not be overlooked.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

M9ki

Aug 18, 2013

One of my favorite movies of the year, I remember buying the book for my friend and I was amazed that it was on dvd so I though I had to try it and wow was it worth my money.I can relate to this movie,but the actors nailed it.

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

foxgrove

Sep 6, 2013

This little gem is totally engrossing telling the story of a young girl suffering the fall out from her parents messy divorce. The performances are all good, but I have to single out Alexander Skarsgard. His hesitant but caring character is so unlike anything else he has done, and you areThis little gem is totally engrossing telling the story of a young girl suffering the fall out from her parents messy divorce. The performances are all good, but I have to single out Alexander Skarsgard. His hesitant but caring character is so unlike anything else he has done, and you are rooting for him to become romantically involved with Joanna Vanderham from there first meeting. The screenplay is for the most part good, but I do feel that Julianne Moore's part is written (and played so broadly that her character is in danger of being turned into a 'bad mum' caricature. This also has the unfortunate side effect of making Skarsgard and Vanderham's characters almost too saintly. Another slightly baffling thing in the story (unless I missed something) is how did Skarsgard and Moore know Where Vanderham and the little girl were when they moved to the beach house. Still, I'm being picky as this is one of the better films of the year so far. Onata Aprile as Maisie is perfect lacking any of the precociousness often found in child performances.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

DawdlingPoet

Nov 24, 2021

I liked this film as it did well at showing things from the childs point of view. Of course the subject of child custody battles is far from new ground in terms of Hollywood films but I felt the subject was handled very well and the young girl, Maisie, played by Onata Aprile, gave aI liked this film as it did well at showing things from the childs point of view. Of course the subject of child custody battles is far from new ground in terms of Hollywood films but I felt the subject was handled very well and the young girl, Maisie, played by Onata Aprile, gave a compelling performance. She really did seem genuinely confused/upset and tired by the various twists and turns of the plot. The parents do seem rather petty and I felt very sorry for Maisie. I'd recommend this film.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 8 REVIEWS