What Maisie Knew

Films oftentimes captured the hardships and drama of relationships and the toils they take on all those involved but rarely are they seen directly from the eyes of a child. Husbands and wives breaking up is nothing new. What Maisie Knew offers, though, is how those ups and downs affect those people we supposedly care about most; our children.

Beale (Steve Coogan) and Susanna (Julianne Moore) are going through a rough divorce and their only daughter, Maisie (Onata Aprile), is caught in the middle of her parents’ feud. It’s difficult to feel loved when your parents are constantly at each other’s throats. Things only become more complicated when Beale starts dating the family babysitter, leading Susanna to move on with her rock and roll band mate. With her parents constantly trying to one-up each other in this bitter rivalry, Maisie is torn between her father and mother.

What Maisie Knew captures the innocence of a young child and transfers it on screen. Audiences directly connect with Maisie as it is her story. Practically every scene is depicted through the eyes of Maisie. Arguments between Beale and Susanna are oftentimes muddled and cut off because Maisie is in the other room having dinner or drawing. While you don’t know exactly what is being spoken, you get the gist of it. You don’t have to know what is being said to know that it’s something bad. The film puts you directly in Maisie’s shoes, meaning it also hits twice as hard emotionally because you see how it all directly affects her.

It isn’t all about fighting and divorce, though. There are some genuinely heartwarming moments between Maisie and her new “stepfather” Lincoln (Alexander Skarsgård). At first, Lincoln just seems like some failed rocker who ends with Susanna and is going to be just like her father to Maisie, but he soon develops a loving relationship with her. It’s the most real thing in the film, even more so than Susanna’s relationship with Maisie.

What Maisie Knew tells an interesting story of love and divorce from the viewpoint of a child. There’s an innocence surrounding Maisie as well as an unconditional love she has for her parents. Because of that, it makes it all the more heartbreaking when they ignore her or favor their jobs over her. On the other hand, it also makes the tender moments between her and Lincoln all the more powerful. What starts out as heartbreak soon develops into something more heartwarming. Give it a chance and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.