Fathers in Film: What Maisie Knew
It’s a wonderful thing when art can work to both enthral and educate us, drawing us back to basic truths in ways that a discussion or dissertation might not. A beautiful and touching example is What Maisie Knew (2012), carrying the kind of incredible poignancy and restraint that one wouldn’t expect from such a potentially worn premise. Six year old Maisie is the daughter of an all-too-familiar rock-star mother, played by Julianne Moore, whose distance and neglect is interspersed with moments of self indulgent promise and hollow affirmation. Her partner, an art dealer played by Steve Coogan, is similarly detached and inconsistent, retreating into the safety of distraction and self-deprication when the real demands of parenting prove all too much. Both Moore and Coogan are utterly perfect in their roles, far too lost in their own obsession, distraction and design to see the damage wrought in their daughter in the wake of their perpetual spats and eventual separation. It is at this point that we see the adults in Maisie’s life turn, shift and grow to reveal the true nature of their own priorities and where this little girl is left at the end of it all. As a parent, the film is incredibly confronting, challenging us to recognise the sporadic commitment and limited compromises we make for our children. We are all familiar with attempting to juggle a thousand other commitments to pursue unknown and ethereal concerns, attempting to time our children’s needs with the schedules we constrain ourselves with. We’re all familiar with the false, hollow ring of concern and commitment that’s been shoehorned into a ten minute window, as opposed to an authentic, natural response to a child in need. The film reminds us that the critical moments we’re needed most are not convenient, predictable or short-lived. They are rather, generally difficult, drawn-out and unforeseen. Accordingly, there is an intimacy that is required to truly watch, know, love and understand our children. To read them and discern their interests, concerns, changes and calamities takes time, diligence and presence. As parents, we must make that time a priority, rather than miss the suffering and retreat that we see depicted so saliently, so subtly in What Maisie Knew. We see this beautiful presence, patience and continuity in Joanna Vanderham, who plays Maise’s nanny, as well as Alexander Skarsgard, who demonstrates a tenderness and humanity not often attributed to men of his stature (and track record for more blood curdling pursuits in HBO’s True Blood). Skarsgard enters the narrative as Moore’s seemingly shambolic love interest, whose natural fascination and regard for Maisie are an incredible delight to witness. The juxtaposition that these two bring, held up against Maisie’s parents, is stark and troubling, particularly as they face hard choices regarding their roles in young Maisie’s life. We’re led to fall in love with this young girl, watching her come to life when given the opportunity to know, love and be with adults who grapple with her needs as though they actually matter. This is all the more poignant in light of Onata Aprile’s stunning performance, giving us a Maisie whose damage isn’t demonstrated in cliched turns of violence, anger or misbehaviour, but rather tragically, turns in on herself in a silence and acquiescence that is devastating to witness. It is Maisie’s moments of silence and eventual mirth that can take hold of us as parents and shake us with the innocence and vulnerability that we’ve been entrusted with. It’s so easy to see ourselves in the easy option, justification and self-obsession that separate both her mother and father from the daughter they care little to know or love - aside from the tragic moments when they realise that it’s all too important, and all too late to establish what takes moment after moment, over the course of days, months and years to build. We’re reminded of just how futile and foolish it is to be blinded by resentment and regret that treats our very marriages, our own children, as limitations and liabilities, rather than the blessing that they are. We see how our failure to embrace detachment, restraint, humility and compassion limits our ability to respond to those we love, with the passion, devotion and consistency it takes to make a family flourish. What Maisie Knew is a powerful, confronting reminder that is not only heartbreaking, but utterly beautiful and uplifting in its colour, its score and its conclusion. At Wristwatches and Radios, we cannot recommend it enough.
Gaetano Carcarello is a Discalced Carmelite, father of seven, and a teacher. He’s enamoured of music, smitten with silence and in love with the written word.
He creates custom made novel pages based on pivotal moments in people’s lives at Page 83; tweets as @gcarcarello; and blogs about Fatherhood, Fidelity, Culture and Creativity here at Wristwatches and Radios.