"From Joanne Rowling to J.K. Rowling"

Title: Magic Beyond Words: The JK Rowling Story
Year:2011
Genre: Biography
Director: Paul A. Kaufman
Writer: Jeffrey Berman, Tony Caballero, Sean Smith (based on his book)
Runtime: 85min
Cast: Poppy Montgomery, Emily Holmes, Antonio Cupo, Janet Kidder
Produc.: Commotion Pictures, Lifetime Television

Magic beyond Words tells the biography of the bestselling writer JK Rowling (Poppy Montgomery), since the beginning. Starting with her childhood, the film shows some crucial moments in her teenage years, moving to its insertion into the working world, and finally to the circumstances that lead to the publication of Harry Potter and its subsequent arrival in theaters.

From the hand of Lifetime Television we can now learn more about the life of Joanne Rowling. A writer who was born in a humble family, had to fight against all odds, and suffering quite a lot in the process, but using an iron will and her mother words, always present, to become (as it would be release by publisher Bloomsbury in 96) in JK Rowling.

I sure think that whenever a producer decides to launch the biography of some personality, we tend to get good reception by the public. What happens is that once one has read and felt trapped by the novels of a particular writer, or have spent long hours listening to the songs of a musician, or has taken place, at home or in any other place, the simple act of flipping a switch to seeing a light bulb turned on, then if we learn that the life of one of these characters has been brought to the big / small screen, it should surely be getting an almost automatic response that results in intrigue and interest on the part of us. The reason: curiosity. We will ask: But how did he/she write this book? What could have been what inspired him/her to write those lyrics? Or, how could he/she know that if doing this or that would go on to what we call light?

The ultimately matter here is that Joanne Rowling wrote, not only a series of books containing a character that would turn her billionaire, but also would be the perfect material to continue exploiting, for not just seven but eight films, giving her as much as to Hollywood several million dollars. This is when one begins to be interested in these sorts of people.

But going strictly to the movie, I must note, unfortunately, that it does not have as many pros as cons. That is: once you have finished watching it, undoubtedly it will have answered a lot of questions. Once the credits end one will know more accurately about the complicated world of work and romantic relationships which was involving this writer while she devised what would end up being the story of her favorite wizard. However, the major problem of this film comes in its short duration, as it is completely impossible to describe with sufficient depth a life that had so many twists and nuances, in just 85 minutes. In Magic beyond Words ... the director makes a flash tour of the main type momentous events that would lead Joanne to become a successful novelist. However, the information given in each scene comes all at once and way too quickly. Overall, the aim of the film to “make us known about Joanne” is indeed, partly accomplished. Although, little is known about how she came to build Harry, his friends and all that fantasy world in his head. It just gives us some answers.

Similarly, it is also good to appraise the messages that the film never forgets to convey. While it is true that some of the things said or shown may enter with discrepancies with what is the real world, hard and quite black.

Here it is immediately spoken the idea that it is important that all children use their imagination to have fun. And this goes beyond if one is or not, to become a novelist in the future. Also, is given a central role to Anne Rowling (Janet Kidder), mother of Joanne and an exemplary woman, who never ceases to insist her daughter about that she should follow ther own dreams. Here's where it also appears her father, Pete Rowling (Paul McGillion), a well-intentioned man, but whom, for wanting the best for his daughter, does not intend to say anything but the truth in her face.

Then, while Joanne approaches unknowingly to the top of stardom and financial success, there is a very interesting scene in which she says she does not write thinking silver, but for the main pleasure of doing it itself. And well ... in some ways her philosophy is perfectly valid. Although she will then have to admit, sometimes one´s biggest passions have to be exploit, whether you like it or not, but to put food on the plate and pay the bills. But one thing does not take off the other.

In conclusion, I would dare to say that beyond Words functions as an accurate source of answers, prior to the success of Joanne Rowling (or as it is announced in her books, JK Rowling), but something tells me that in a longer film it would have been able to cover even more aspects of her life, that even I don´t know about.

My rating: 5/10

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