History Film / Neverwas

* [[spoiler: RealAfterAll: Most of what Finch speaks of is grounded in reality. It's his poetic, metaphorical, fairytale speech that makes you think he's more insane than he is.]]

* SuicideByCop: Possibly what [[spoiler:Finch]] was going for in the final sequence [[spoiler:depending on how much you think he knows he's "insane"]].

''Of all the things one says and does\\

-- T.L. Pierson\\\\

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 fantasy film written and directed by Joshua Michael Stern, starring Creator/AaronEckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/WilliamHurt, Creator/JessicaLange, and Creator/AlanCumming. Music by space composer Creator/PhilipGlass and production design by [[https://www.seanhargreavesdesign.com/feature-films/ Sean Hargreaves]].

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 fantasy film written and directed by Joshua Michael Stern, starring Creator/AaronEckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/WilliamHurt, Creator/JessicaLange, and Creator/AlanCumming.

Dr. Zach Riley (Eckhart) is a promising young psychologist who begins working at a small private mental institution in New England. Years ago, T.L. Pierson (Norte), the acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy, was hospitalized for severe depression in this place. Pierson was Zach Riley's father, and the child hero of ''Neverwas'' is based on Zach. Pierson later committed suicide, and his son discovered his body.

* MadDreamer: Gabriel Finch has submerged himself in a highly detailed world of fantasy.

* SuicideByCop: Possibly what [[spoiler:Finch]] was going for in the final sequence [[spoiler:depending on how much you think he knows he's insane]].

[[caption-width-right:300:''"Every fairy tale needs its hero."'']]

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Creator/AaronEckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Creator/NickNolte, Creator/BrittanyMurphy, Creator/WilliamHurt, Creator/JessicaLange and Creator/AlanCumming.

Dr. Zach Riley is a promising young psychologist who begins working at a small private mental institution in New England. Years ago, T.L. Pierson, the acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy, was hospitalized for severe depression in this place. Pierson was Zach Riley's father, and the child hero of ''Neverwas'' is based on Zach. Pierson later committed suicide, and his son discovered his body. Working in the hospital, Zachary meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

[[quoteright:220:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/220px-neverwas_2005_7559.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:220:Every fairy tale needs its hero]]

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Creator/AaronEckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Nick Nolte, and Creator/BrittanyMurphy about a promising young psychologist, Dr. Zach Riley, who begins working at a small private mental institution in New England. Years ago, T.L. Pierson, the acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy, was hospitalized for severe depression in this place. Pierson was Zach Riley's father, and the child hero of ''Neverwas'' is based on Zach. Pierson later committed suicide, and his son discovered his body. Working in the hospital, Zachary meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

* DuelingMovies: The movie didn't receive much promotion, possibly because it was released on the heels of ''Film/FindingNeverland'' which had similar themes of contrasting reality and the story written from it, as well as a similar name. There was also some talk of possible legal complications with that film and with the ''Harry Potter'' pictures; in any case, it went straight to DVD and has become a CultClassic.

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Aaron Eckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Nick Nolte, and Creator/BrittanyMurphy about a promising young psychologist, Dr. Zach Riley, who begins working at a small private mental institution in New England. Years ago, T.L. Pierson, the acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy, was hospitalized for severe depression in this place. Pierson was Zach Riley's father, and the child hero of ''Neverwas'' is based on Zach. Pierson later committed suicide, and his son discovered his body. Working in the hospital, Zachary meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

* DuelingMovies: The movie didn't receive much promotion, possibly because it was released on the heels of ''Film/FindingNeverland'' which had similar themes of contrasting reality and the story written from it. There was also some talk of possible legal complications with that film and with the ''Harry Potter'' pictures; in any case, it went straight to DVD and has become a CultClassic.

* IAmNotSpock: For many reasons, Dr. Riley reacts badly when people go "oh, you're ''that'' Zachary", one reason he uses his mother's maiden name.

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Aaron Eckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Nick Nolte, and Creator/BrittanyMurphy about a promising young psychologist, Dr. Zach Riley, who has returned to the mental institution where T.L. Pierson, his father and acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy starring Zachary himself as the savior of Neverwas, spent time recovering. Once there, he meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

* DuelingMovies: The movie didn't receive much promotion, possibly because it was released on the heels of ''Film/FindingNeverland'' which had similar themes of contrasting reality and the story written from it.

* PropheciesRhymeAllTheTime: All of Finch's prophecies, [[spoiler:possibly because Gabriel helped Pierson write a children's book based on them]].

''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Aaron Eckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Nick Nolte, and Creator//BrittanyMurphy about a promising young psychologist, Dr. Zach Riley, who has returned to the mental institution where T.L. Pierson, his father and acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy starring Zachary himself as the savior of Neverwas, spent time recovering. Once there, he meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

[[caption-width-right:220:Every fairy tale needs its hero]] ''Neverwas'' is a 2005 film starring Aaron Eckhart, Creator/IanMcKellen, Nick Nolte, and Main/BrittanyMurphy about a promising young psychologist, Dr. Zach Riley, who has returned to the mental institution where T.L. Pierson, his father and acclaimed author of ''Neverwas'', a classic piece of children's fantasy starring Zachary himself as the savior of Neverwas, spent time recovering. Once there, he meets Gabriel Finch, a patient who has intimate knowledge of Neverwas and who has been waiting many long and lonely years for Zachary to come and return Gabriel to his rightful place as king of Neverwas. As Zachary tries to cure Gabriel of his delusions, he learns that there is more reality to Neverwas than meets the eye, and he makes a hero's journey to restore the kingdom.

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