Once again we have another movie that uses imagery from the classic Alice in Wonderland tale. Do not be confused and think that this is a retelling of the story because it most definitely is not. It is a movie that tells its own story but it uses the elements of the dreamy Lewis Carroll land and the characters he created to explain the world of a troubled little girl, Phoebe.
From the beginning of the movie it is clear that Phoebe has some sort of psychological disorder. Aside from the OCD (which the mother was willing to accept because it was virtually indisputable), she obviously exhibited signs of Tourette's Syndrome (and although it went unstated in the movie, it seems she exhibited signs of schizophrenia as well). Her OCD is exhibited by her compulsion to count her paces and steps in repetition sometimes even to the point of physically hurting herself. Her Tourette's is shown through her inability to control her spitting and inappropriate comments when faced with stressful situations. The schizophrenia (although never stated in the movie) is highlighted by the visions and voices that she hears (characters from the Lewis Carroll tale) throughout the movie. She connects people in her real life to these characters.
Of course, to add an obvious connection to Alice in Wonderland to the viewers, Phoebe happens to be cast as Alice in a play at her school. This is the girl's only retreat because she can feel free to to let her "imagination" run wild and express herself through acting. She even has an eccentric teacher who accepts and encourages her. The problem really is that even this teacher doesn't see that Phoebe actually has a condition. Even as happy as Phoebe is in the theater, she still jumps off the catwalk (the rabbit hole) and falls causing the teacher to be fired.
The worst part is that the real problem isn't even with Phoebe who is merely attempting to cope with her mental disorders in any way that she possibly can, the problem lies with her mother who obviously has problems of her own and spends most of the movie in denial. She puts her child's health at risk and also alienates her husband and other daughter so that she can actually live in her own "Wonderland". The mother, in fact, is writing a book inspired by Alice in Wonderland. In the mother's world, everything is fine with her daughter, Phoebe, and she martyrs herself by taking the blame for Phoebe's disruptive behavior and the mother repents for her guilt my mentally flogging herself. She does this by telling herself that she has been neglectful and too preoccupied with her book and that Phoebe's behavior is a cry for attention. The mother seems more concerned with her own inadequacies than with actually trying to help her daughter. Not only does she lash out at the teacher who actually helps Phoebe more than she does but she goes so far as to withhold information that Phoebe's psychiatrist informed her of about Phoebe's mental disorder from her own husband. Some may view this as a parent who cares so much that they don't want their child labeled so early without a second opinion. This would be an acceptable assumption if the mother actually attempted to get a second opinion. Her pride would not allow her to admit that her daughter was suffering and needed actual help.
Overall, Phoebe in Wonderland is an interesting story in and of itself but be prepared to view a movie in which Phoebe floats along demonstrating obvious signs of OCD, Tourette's Syndrome, and schizophrenia while all authoritative figures take a backseat and watch as a little girl unravels so that they can serve a purpose all their own. In the final scene, Phoebe makes this ridiculous speech to her class about having Tourette's in an attempt to explain her previous inappropriate behavior. The speech, and scene itself, seems forced and too easily wraps up the complexity of the issues that the film portrayed throughout its entirety.
From the beginning of the movie it is clear that Phoebe has some sort of psychological disorder. Aside from the OCD (which the mother was willing to accept because it was virtually indisputable), she obviously exhibited signs of Tourette's Syndrome (and although it went unstated in the movie, it seems she exhibited signs of schizophrenia as well). Her OCD is exhibited by her compulsion to count her paces and steps in repetition sometimes even to the point of physically hurting herself. Her Tourette's is shown through her inability to control her spitting and inappropriate comments when faced with stressful situations. The schizophrenia (although never stated in the movie) is highlighted by the visions and voices that she hears (characters from the Lewis Carroll tale) throughout the movie. She connects people in her real life to these characters.
Of course, to add an obvious connection to Alice in Wonderland to the viewers, Phoebe happens to be cast as Alice in a play at her school. This is the girl's only retreat because she can feel free to to let her "imagination" run wild and express herself through acting. She even has an eccentric teacher who accepts and encourages her. The problem really is that even this teacher doesn't see that Phoebe actually has a condition. Even as happy as Phoebe is in the theater, she still jumps off the catwalk (the rabbit hole) and falls causing the teacher to be fired.
The worst part is that the real problem isn't even with Phoebe who is merely attempting to cope with her mental disorders in any way that she possibly can, the problem lies with her mother who obviously has problems of her own and spends most of the movie in denial. She puts her child's health at risk and also alienates her husband and other daughter so that she can actually live in her own "Wonderland". The mother, in fact, is writing a book inspired by Alice in Wonderland. In the mother's world, everything is fine with her daughter, Phoebe, and she martyrs herself by taking the blame for Phoebe's disruptive behavior and the mother repents for her guilt my mentally flogging herself. She does this by telling herself that she has been neglectful and too preoccupied with her book and that Phoebe's behavior is a cry for attention. The mother seems more concerned with her own inadequacies than with actually trying to help her daughter. Not only does she lash out at the teacher who actually helps Phoebe more than she does but she goes so far as to withhold information that Phoebe's psychiatrist informed her of about Phoebe's mental disorder from her own husband. Some may view this as a parent who cares so much that they don't want their child labeled so early without a second opinion. This would be an acceptable assumption if the mother actually attempted to get a second opinion. Her pride would not allow her to admit that her daughter was suffering and needed actual help.
Overall, Phoebe in Wonderland is an interesting story in and of itself but be prepared to view a movie in which Phoebe floats along demonstrating obvious signs of OCD, Tourette's Syndrome, and schizophrenia while all authoritative figures take a backseat and watch as a little girl unravels so that they can serve a purpose all their own. In the final scene, Phoebe makes this ridiculous speech to her class about having Tourette's in an attempt to explain her previous inappropriate behavior. The speech, and scene itself, seems forced and too easily wraps up the complexity of the issues that the film portrayed throughout its entirety.