4/5 A Tale Told By a Madman
  by Celia Hayes (San Antonio, SA)
This is one of those movies that barely appeared and promptly vanished in spite of a cast of excellent actors and a so-so premise beautifully worked out. Note that I said actors, not stars. A handful of less than stellar initial reviews probably also torpedoed the production upon release, which is a pity: god knows that far, far worse productions endure a much more scathing reception, and yet endure, spread all over the movie-publicity complex and your neighborhood Cineplex for months.

Aaron Eckhard plays Zack, a successful psychiatrist who is haunted by the suicide death of his troubled father when he was a small boy. His father, (Nick Nolte, seen in flashbacks or vintage film and home movie footage) was the writer of a fabulously successful childrens' classic about a wonderful magical land called "Neverwas" which he wrote for his son, making him the hero-adventurer. As an adult, Zack takes a job at the mental hospital where his father was confined for a brief period, hoping to find out why his father killed himself. Was it a failure of his doctor, of the hospital itself? It is hinted that Zack became a psychiatrist as a way of trying to fix that which was broken, in his father, and in himself, and others.

The clinic is a gorgeous but dilapidated, neo-classical building, near a perfect small New England town; the whole country around the clinic and town is a wildly scenic rural area spangled with fall colors. The whole look of the place is stunningly beautiful, barely and believably a half-step from the enchanted world that Zack's father created a quarter century before. He meets up with a childhood pal, Ally (Brittany Murphy) who seems to have never quite outgrown her own longing to visit "Neverwas", or her own attraction towards Zack. Among his patients in the hospital is the schizophrenic Gabriel Finch, played by the magnificent Ian McKellon. Gradually, Zack realized, as Gabriel opens up to him, that Gabriel and his father were friends... and that Gabriel thinks himself as the imprisoned King of "Neverwas".

"Neverwas" is in fact as much Gabriel's creation as it was his fathers... and it is as real to him as the forests beyond the boundaries of the hospital. The rest of the story is concerned with how Zack comes to terms with death, guilt, responsibility and the knowledge that sometimes there is nothing you can do, to help the ones you love... and sometimes you can. Ally lets go of her own childish dependence on the enchanted world... although they both do briefly set foot in it. The sequence towards the end of the movie, where she and Zack follow Gabriel into the woods, is beautifully done. With a growing sense of wonder, they identify many of the magical landmarks and seem almost on the verge actually stepping into the mythical "Neverwas"... but as it is subtly conveyed, they are still in the very real world. Only Gabriel, the schizophrenic can live in the world that he has created and maintained in his own mind for most of his life.

This is not a movie for children, although it may appear at first glance to resemble such fare as "The Bridge to Terabithia". It is more suited for teenagers and adults. While not one of those great unsung movies, it is still better worth the time than many other movie offerings taking up DVD shelf space, just for McKellen's star turn alone.


3/5 NEVERWAS IS!
  by Kay Lee (USA)
A movie with a developing plot that unfolds in its own time, Likable characters, a few interesting twists and turns, almost a child's story, but very much adult. Worth a watch.

4/5 Pleasant weekend movie
  by A. Kline (Philadelphia, PA)
Watch the whole thing! Nothing frustrates me more than people who give bad reviews based on the first 30-45 minutes of a movie. It's sometimes slow, not much time in the fairytale itself, but it's an enjoyable movie with a wonderful cast. I absolutely loved the end. By that time, if you allow it, you absolutely believe in Neverwas!

5/5 For Journalers and Altered Artists!
  by Laurie A. Jones (New London OH)
If you love to journal and altered things, then this is a very cool movie! I loved the whole theme of the movie but the visuals were especially cool. So much so, that I purchased a copy of the movie to watch over and over again.

5/5 Perfect
  by Fable Hill
My family and I chose to watch this movie with no prior knowledge of it, we just thought we'd give it a try. And now, I have to say I'm appalled that I hadn't heard of Neverwas before then. It's a beautiful movie, with an incredible cast and a fabulous story, and not to mention visually stunning as well.

To briefly outline the beginning, a psychologist(Aaron Eckhart) returns to the town he grew up in, and starts working at an asylum of sorts where his father had spent time. His father was an exceptionally famous children's fantasy author, and soon it becomes unclear whether the story he wrote was merely a story or if somehow there's more to it. I'd say more, but part of the magic of this film is being surprised.

Neverwas is a happy movie without being insipid, and whimsical without being unbelievable or over done. It's perfect, in my opinion. You couldn't ask for a film with more imagination, and I think anyone would be delighted by it. I could not have enjoyed it more if I tried!