Phoebe in Wonderland Movie Review

Phoebe in Wonderland was an honest and utterly absorbing movie about cherishing talent within the chaos of mental health. Phoebe was a young girl eager to act in her school's production of Alice in Wonderland. She signed up and ultimately landed a role as Alice, much to the dismay of her classmates. Her drama teacher, Miss Dodger, was cut from a different cloth. Theater was her lifeblood and she cared tremendously about her students becoming ingrained with their acting material. Phoebe caught the eye of Miss Dodger for her dedication toward her role. For Phoebe, this was a matter of life and death with zero room for error. She was the main star and had to shine. Mental health conditions including OCD informed her every move. Alice in Wonderland was her identity now. It could be argued she was taking it too seriously, but I feel like she was building a sense of belonging. Phoebe's home life wasn't too bad. Her mother and father clearly loved her, though they didn't exactly understand what their daughter was going through mentally. Her classmates weren't too sure what to make of Phoebe as well. Taunting and bullying from them led to her lashing back out. Her principal tried to be cordial. Unfortunately, he, too, didn't fully get where she was coming from. Blame couldn't be attributed to her behavior. She was at the mercy of OCD and Tourette's, and nobody really knew what to do when she acted out. Alice in Wonderland seemed cool. Phoebe would talk to imaginary characters from its world for advice on how to navigate reality. Miss Dodger admired her ability to act. She didn't know about Phoebe's struggles outside of it. Concern filled the air. Rules were everywhere Phoebe looked. Society wouldn't bend a knee to accommodate her every time. If only she could've just lived in Wonderland forever.

A lack of clarity on her mental health troubled Phoebe along with those around her. Therapy offered a window of hope until it didn't. Her mom blamed herself for what her daughter had become. Her father felt torn between avoidance and aggression. Her younger sister was growing tired of having to be the maturer sibling. Phoebe didn't know what'd trigger her own anxiety next. Living with dueling mental illnesses ate away at her, day in, day out. On stage, she could transform into someone free from neurodivergence. Wacky as the characters in Alice in Wonderland were, they were grounded in a world that felt comforting to her. Real life came with demands she couldn't always handle. Miss Dodger was a gateway into a fantastical realm where nobody cared if you were different. The filmmaking reflected this journey of self-discovery. In the beginning, Phoebe was met with ambivalence and confusion. Frenetic camerawork highlighted her inner chaos. In general, the scenes felt more uncomfortable. As her situation became more concrete, there was a change in attitude — recognition of who she wanted to be. Scenes were now more lucid, allowing her imagination to go wild. Phoebe didn't shed her self-doubt altogether. Involuntary tics would continue to remain a factor and her mind would be at war with itself indefinitely. She wasn't searching as much for meaning anymore as she was more so enjoying a newfound identity. Alice in Wonderland anchored her to a creative space where wonder felt tangible. Mental health was irrelevant in the land of magic. Phoebe was Alice and the imagined world was here to stay.

This was a very special movie for me. I know how difficult it can be to live with a mental health condition. I appreciated how intentionally OCD and Tourette's were examined, never feeling glorified. Phoebe's actions were difficult to watch but they fit into the framework of the story. Mixing fantasy and reality worked well because we really got to delve into her mind. We got to see what she saw and feel what she felt — no narration needed. Was there a true villain? I don't know. The principal wasn't the greatest guy. Then again, Phoebe's mental health was its own antagonist — more internal, but no less formidable. After all, it was about a girl against an uncertain future. Childhood creativity should be treasured for eternity — finding your true calling can open your mind to a world of possibility. From the realistic acting to the tender dialogue, the execution was there. I was left in tears when the credits rolled. My rating will be a very high one at a 4.5/5 ⭐️