Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s visually stunning adaptation of Reif Larsen’s similarly-titled novel boasts impressive performances and well-crafted design, but ultimately forgets the importance of thematic integration – resulting in a somewhat flat experience that undoes much of the film’s potential.

Despite an unusually young cast, The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet manages to command remarkably human performances throughout – particularly from newcomer Niamh Wilson.

Although shot entirely in stereoscopic vision, both Jeunet and cinematographer Thomas Hardmeier display obvious restraint and attention-to-detail in order to make best use of newer 3D technologies’ formal attributes and distinctive qualities.

While colourfully idyllic in almost every respect, The Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet‘s vision finds itself sadly lacking in overall depth and symbolic relevance. 

RATING: 3/5

INFORMATION

CAST: Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Maillet, Callum Keith Rennie

DIRECTOR: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

WRITERS: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Guillaume Laurant (screenplay), Reif Larsen (novel)

SYNOPSIS: A child prodigy travels across America to retrieve an award from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.