ReelBob: ‘A Wrinkle in Time’ ★★★
By Bob Bloom
The time is right for “A Wrinkle in Time.”
With students using their voices and minds to fight for what they believe, what is more natural than this magical adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s 1962 classic young people’s science fantasy novel?
In these divisive times — in which our leaders seem to prey and appeal to the more darker instincts of their constituents — a movie about warriors whose weapons are their minds and hearts is as welcome as a sunny summer day.
“A Wrinkle in Time” is a positive and sentimental journey about a young girl’s quest to find her father, who has been missing for four years.
It also is a story of her personal odyssey to discover her true self and unleash the potential we all have within us.
Director Ava DuVernay, working from an adaptation by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, has crafted a fast-paced fantasy whose 109-minute running time seems to whiz by.
More importantly, DuVernay, Lee and Stockwell display respect and affection for the movie’s source material, realizing its impact on generations of schoolchildren, as L’Engle’s book is required reading in many classrooms.
Like many protagonists in YA novels, Meg Murry (Storm Reid) is struggling with several issues — trying to fit in at her middle school, her self-worth and, most of all, the disappearance of her father.
Meg is smart and gifted, but also angry. The loss of her father weighs her down like a boulder, eroding her confidence and burying her appreciation of her potential.
Meg’s younger brother, Charles Wallace (a precocious and adorable Deric McCabe) introduces Meg and her classmate, Calvin (Levi Miller), to three celestial beings who have come to Earth to help Meg find her father.
These guides are Mrs. Which (Oprah Winfrey), Mrs. Whatsit (Reese Witherspoon) and Mrs. Who (Mindy Kaling).
Ironically, these formidable stars are overshadowed by the performances of their young costars, especially Reid and McCabe.
Winfrey’s Mrs. Which seems to be the most profound and wisest of the trio, yet her advice sounds like words off a Hallmark card.
Witherspoon offers more personality and sass as Mrs. Whatsit, who is the lone being who doubts Meg’s abilities to complete her task.
Kaling’s Mrs. Who really is wasted, as she mostly stands around reciting memorable quotes by historical figures.
Miller’s Calvin really has nothing to do but admire Meg and blindly place his trust in her.
“A Wrinkle in Time” suffers slightly because of this minor defect. At times it feels disjointed, and some plot points are left unexplained. These flaws are tolerable since the movie’s focus, wisely, is on the children.
Young audiences can and will identify with Meg, Charles Wallace and Calvin, and that is how it should be because the movie is aimed squarely at them.
“A Wrinkle of Time” is a contemporary fairy tale, a “Wizard of Oz”-like fantasy about courage, hope and — most importantly — love.
It’s a feature that you and your children should see. Hopefully, it will encourage young people to embrace who they are and ignore those who try to deter them from whatever path they set for themselves.
I am a member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn.
A WRINKLE IN TIME
3½ stars out of 4
(PG), some peril and themes