What Maisie Knew – DVD review

Scott McGehee and David Siege, 2012

Curzon Film World

A (very) loose updating of Henry James’s wonderful short novel in which a six-year-old (here played by Onata Aprile, terrific at conveying both heart-rending helplessness and precocious wisdom) is caught between warring divorcing parents.

In the bad behaviour stakes there’s little to choose between father Steve Coogan (in the “serious” role that preceded his triumph in Philomena) and neurotic ageing rock star mother Julianne Moore, while young ones Alexander Skarsgård and Joanna Vanderham never miss an opportunity for violins in showing how responsible parenting should be done. For those with a sweet tooth.