Disney’s Christopher Robin, now playing in theaters, is the feel-good film you didn’t know you needed. It’s a great film for kids, but even better for adults could use something a little calming.
Ewan McGregor stars as the adult version of Christopher Robin, the little boy from the books who is always hanging out in the Hundred Acre Woods with his friends Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Roo, Piglet, Owl, Kangaroo, and of course Winnie the Pooh. The film starts off with a young Christopher Robin, played at this point by Orton O’Brien, as he says goodbye to his friends and goes off to boarding school leaving childhood behind. As time goes on, he finishes school, fights in World War II falls in love, and marries a woman named Evelyn (Hayley Atwell). The two have a daughter named Madeline (Bronte Carmichael).
Christopher Robin (now a family man living in London) receives a surprise visit from his old childhood pal, Winnie the Pooh. With Christopher’s help, Pooh embarks on a journey to find his friends. Once reunited, the lovable bear and the gang travel to the big city to help Christopher rediscover the joy of life.
The movie’s depiction of Pooh and his comrades are delightful and couldn’t be more perfect. Jim Cummings returns as the voices of Pooh Bear and Tigger is just fantastic. His perfect delivery of the character’s intonations rings me right back to when I was a kid. Brad Garrett voices Eeyore and pretty much steals the show. You laugh with joys as Eeyore hum drums his way through the film. The others are fantastic as well, but it’s really Pooh, Tigger, and Eeyore who are my heart tugging favorites.
The combination of script and visual effects are the key components to Christopher Robin’s success. The CGI characters are masterfully created. They are crafted from the classic cartoons and books but are also fashioned as slightly worn stuffed animals. They give you that worn and fuzzy feeling you get when you see your childhood teddy bear for the first time in years. The screenplay by Tom McCarthy, Alex Ross Perry, and Allison Schroeder are spot-on with their characterizations. Winnie the Pooh is exactly as you would expect him to be; from his insatiable love for honey to his hilarious antics. Special thanks to Marc Forster and the production team for getting this right. Audiences worldwide are going to be overjoyed.
Disney’s Christopher Robin is a tender, beautiful film that will pull at your heartstrings and reminds us of youth’s innocence, and the importance of family in difficult times.
What did you think of the film? Sound off in the comments.
4/5