Come Away - A Bit Too Childish

 

Rent it on Apple TV, YouTube, Google Play, and Amazon. 

Come Away is a bit of an odd beast to review properly. On the one hand, it is a clever and charming story with lots of witty parallels to classic fairy tales and insightful commentary on people's toxic perceptions, especially on systematic classism and racism. On the other hand, however, it is also too easily distracted by its own wonder and overly ambiguous for its own good. While you could argue that it's meant to be a child's point-of-view interpretation of adult situations, there comes the point where you still have to reign it in, which this movie, sadly, never does. I don't mean to imply that the film is bad, not at all; it's just a bit too whimsical for its own good. 

Taking place sometime in the 1800s, the story follows an interracial couple and their three children. The kids spend most of their time playing various games of "Let's Pretend," as their imaginations run wild on their various adventures of fighting pirates and monsters. However, things go array when their oldest brother dies in an accident. Causing the parents to fall into a deep depression and the two younger siblings to deal with the trauma in their own ways. Throughout the story, the kids find themselves in situations that directly parallel elements of classic fairy tales such as Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan. All the while trying to come to terms with their loss and discover what it truly means to grow up. 

First, let's talk about what the film does well. 

The acting is top-notch from the whole cast. The special effects are clever and convincing. The cinematography is delightfully appropriate, and the general themes of imagination and the maintenance of child-like awe are expertly delivered. 

Sadly, however, these good qualities do not outshine the central faults of the movie. That being its overreliance on child logic and slow-burn pacing. 

Simply put, the least interesting parts of the story are played too slowly, while the more fascinating aspects are rushed and over with too quickly. Some scenes end abruptly, story beats are brought up but then completely forgotten, and the ending, while visually awesome, still leaves a good deal to be desired. It feels less like a fully constructed film and more like a child storybook with some missing pages. 

I must reiterate that I did not dislike this movie, nor do I intend to imply lackluster quality. While I greatly appreciate the film's intentions of reinforcing the importance of childhood and imagination, I could not engage with the proceedings as much as the movie wanted me to. While I still recommend that you check it out for yourself, especially if you have kids, I just can't help but think it could have been better in some ways. As it stands, it's a valiant effort that at least deserves a curious look. 

Ladies & gentlemen, I am TheNorm; thank you all for reading.