Plot Phoebe in Wonderland

a 9-year-old girl, phoebe (elle fanning), has apparent tourette syndrome. while deals being odd , insecure, mother (felicity huffman) , father (bill pullman) dealing complexities in relationship each other , challenging child. younger sister (bailee madison) feels neglected phoebe gains more attention.

phoebe seeks role in school s play, alice in wonderland, directed school s off-beat drama teacher, miss dodger (patricia clarkson). phoebe flourishes on stage, relaxing , feeling normal, impulsive speech , behavior persist off stage. parents hire therapist her, after proposes medication, phoebe s mother fires him. not want accept there wrong phoebe; when principal questions if phoebe behaves oddly outside of classroom, mother denies though has many times witnessed daughter s self-destructive rituals @ home. when phoebe taken out of play due classroom behavior, dreams shattered. mother, desperate daughter feel normal, works drama teacher bring phoebe on stage.

although phoebe put play, challenges continue driven behavior doesn t understand. hurts herself jumping off catwalk onto stage, , drama teacher fired. phoebe s fellow-actors descend chaos, phoebe alone clings sense of purpose. urges classmates continue rehearsals on own, , do. mother, has resisted efforts label phoebe, tells phoebe has tourette syndrome, , phoebe helps classmates understand explaining condition them.