Das Glück der großen Dinge

It can’t be easy to convey such a difficult topic. But the authors have handled it perfectly. The story is very strong, very heavy, but at the same time, it reflects the reality of the modern era, aka the reality where a baby is born to two young parents but they don’t have time for it, they don’t have time for one another and they try to compensate for it with their careers which might be great, but they don’t last forever. Also, Onata Aprile was the best thing that has happened to this movie. That girl was absolutely amazing. Throughout the movie, I was sad but also happy for her; sad about the way that this world can treat children, happy about the good people still left in this world. And all she had to do was a single look in her eyes, and she was saying it all. This movie’s done it – it has exhausted me emotionally. (10.07.2014)

In dem durch und durch modernen Drama Das Glück der großen Dinge mit so populären Schauspielern wie Julianne Moore und Alexander Skarsgård in den Hauptrollen hätten wohl nur wenige eine Adaption des gleichnamigen Romans von Henry James aus dem Jahr 1897 erwartet. Die Problematik einer Scheidung und ihrer Auswirkungen auf ein Kind hat sich seither nicht wesentlich verändert und erscheint deshalb so aktuell. Ein ähnlicher Film mit der gleichen Sensibilität, der eine kleine Heldin zeigt, wurde in der Tschechischen Republik unter dem Titel Wer fürchtet sich vor dem Wolf gedreht. (08.01.2021)

After watching What Maisie Knew, the only thing that immediately comes to mind is "Poor Maisie!" A little person in a crazy adult world where everyone is fighting. What if strangers can take better care of a child than her own parents? Well, that's a bit of a stretch. I was initially impressed with the cast - especially Julianne Moore and Alexander Skarsgård. Both were great and convincing. Moore was purposefully unlikeable in her role and played the rocker-mother very well. And Skarsgård was a priceless and likable "daddy". Also, I must not forget little Onata Aprile, who was absolutely charming and played her role very well. All in all, a very nice and sweet film that is also incredibly sad pretty much the whole time, but what does it matter when the ending makes it safe (29.07.2013)

As a childless woman, I have no right to judge parents – how they care for their children, how they raise them, what they say to them and what they confide in them. But no one can tell me that there aren’t people who shouldn't have children at all. The way both parents drag their daughter into their relationship, the way they badmouth each other in front of her, the way they confide things that the child shouldn't hear, that really made me sick, not to mention their total irresponsibility – the way they shuffle little Maisie between them and how they put all the responsibility on their new partners. In the end, it turns out that these two, strangers in a way (in the sense that they are not real family), the former nanny and the young bartender, are much better parents for Maisie than the biological ones. In general, it's all well acted, but it's clear that the star of the screen is little Onata Aprile, whom everyone would want as a daughter. She is so adorable, intelligent, funny, sensitive, you just hope she will end up in good hands; in the hands of people who will love her more than themselves, and who will give her the love she deserves. (17.10.2016)