What Maisie Knew (2013)
86%RT Audience Score: 80%
Awards & Nominations: 3 wins & 8 nominations
It’s undeniably difficult to watch at times, but What Maisie Knew ultimately rises on the strength of its solidly sourced script, powerful performances, and empathetic direction
What Maisie Knew is a heartwarming and emotional film that will make you laugh, cry, and want to hug your loved ones. The performances from the entire cast are outstanding, but newcomer Onata Aprile steals the show with her incredible portrayal of Maisie. The film beautifully captures the perspective of a child caught in the middle of a messy divorce, and the directing duo of Scott McGehee and David Siegel have truly outdone themselves with this adaptation of Henry James’ novel. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves a good family drama, and for those who don’t, well, you might just change your mind after watching this gem.
Production Company(ies)
Distributor
Millennium Entertainment
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
The High Line, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some language
Year of Release
2013
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 38m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 3, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Aug 13, 2013
Genre(s)
Drama
Keyword(s)
starring Julianne Moore, Alexander Skarsgård, Onata Aprile, Joanna Vanderham, Steve Coogan, Diana García, directed by Scott McGehee, David Siegel, written by Nancy Doyne, Carroll Cartwright, drama, R-rated, reviewed by Deborah Ross, produced by William Teitler, Charles Weinstock, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Daniel Crown, $1.1M box office, Dolby Digital sound mix, Scope (2.35:1
Worldwide gross: $2,711,379
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $3,444,395
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,280
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 375,616
US/Canada gross: $1,066,471
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,354,789
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,113
US/Canada opening weekend: $21,480
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $27,287
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,397
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $6,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $7,622,088
Production budget ranking: 1,764
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $4,104,494
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$8,282,188
ROI to date (est.): -71%
ROI ranking: 1,809
Alexander Skarsgård – Lincoln
Onata Aprile – Maisie
Joanna Vanderham – Margo
Steve Coogan – Beale
Diana García – Cecelia
Director(s)
Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Writer(s)
Nancy Doyne, Carroll Cartwright
Producer(s)
William Teitler, Charles Weinstock, Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Daniel Crown
Film Festivals
Toronto
Awards & Nominations
3 wins & 8 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (112) | Top Critics (48) | Fresh (97) | Rotten (15)
I don’t know where the directors (Scott McGehee and David Siegel) discovered Miss Aprile, or how they elicited her performance but, my God, she knocks it out the court. Over and over.
September 5, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
Soft-centred and bland though it is as a version of [Henry] James, the McGehee-Siegel What Maisie Knew is worth seeing for the performances.
July 31, 2018
Philip Horne
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Scott McGehee and David Siegel’s adaptation commendably preserves the book’s child perspective even if it doesn’t quite match the characteristically dark shades of the author’s moral fare.
November 4, 2013
Emma Myers
Film Comment Magazine
TOP CRITIC
Vanderham and Skarsgrd put in career bests; Moore – and this is really saying something – hasn’t been this impressive since Safe.
August 23, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
A rather sentimental, precious tale, and the important sense of Maisie growing up and learning about the world and its failings doesn’t come through.
August 22, 2013 | Rating: 2/5
Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
TOP CRITIC
Handsomely shot and stopping just short of cloying sentiment, this is an accomplished, engaging work.
August 22, 2013 | Rating: 4/5
David Gritten
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
The performance from newcomer Onata Aprile is astounding precisely because it’s not astounding.
September 27, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/4.0
Richard Propes
TheIndependentCritic.com
The directing duo of Scott McGehee and David Siegel may have finally found their masterpiece in this deft update of Henry James’ Victorian-era novel…
June 18, 2020
David Lamble
Bay Area Reporter
A tough, rewarding study of emotional neglect that plays the emotions like a grand piano.
May 12, 2020
Leigh Paatsch
Herald Sun (Australia)
Nothing new is brought to the table here other than the mother being as unsuitable a parent as the father, which is not the typical.
May 3, 2020 | Rating: 2.5/5
Carey-Ann Pawsey
Orca Sound
The emotional complexity and layering of What Maisie Knew is a gorgeous and powerful construct in character and observational brilliance.
November 27, 2019
Debbie Lynn Elias
Behind The Lens
The narrative’s linchpin is Maisie and much of the film’s momentum comes from Aprile’s ability to channel her quicksilver state of mind.
March 2, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Lucy Popescu
CineVue…
Plot
WHAT MAISIE KNEW is a contemporary New York City re-visioning of the Henry James novel by the same name, written by Carroll Cartwright and Nancy Doyne. It revolves around unwitting 7-year-old Maisie, caught in the middle of a custody battle between her mother Suzanna, an aging rock star, and her father, Beale, a major art dealer. In a race to win the court’s advantage, Beale marries Maisie’s nanny Margo, prompting Suzanna in turn to marry friend and local bartender, Lincoln. Both forced into a battle neither wishes to be a part of, Margo and Lincoln come to empathize with Maisie’s position and over time with one another’s. Teased by the notion of making their own surrogate family, the trio must either submit to the will of Maisie’s parents or eventually face their wrath.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a strong cast including Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan, and Alexander Skarsgård.
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