What it’s about
Why we love it
Directors Siegel and McGehee have updated Henry Jamess 1897 novel, setting Maisie in modern Manhattan, and the shift works. In the title role, the young Aprile is remarkably composed her tender, intelligent performance carries us through the bleaker moments of this uncomfortable yet absorbing tale. Coogan is weak and contemptible as the cynical Beale; his rare attempts to make some connection with a daughter he barely knows feel pathetic. Meanwhile, Moores manic, erratic Susanna is a character study in narcissism and neurosis. In the end, Maisie is a devastating portrait, reflecting the damage selfish parents can inflict on a vulnerable, blameless little girl. This powerful, difficult, and heartbreaking film deserves to be seen and remembered.