This past weekend Denis, CootieGirl and I went to see “Christopher Robin,” starring Ewan McGregor and Hayley Atwell, as well as voices provided by the likes of Jim Cummings, Brad Garrett and Peter Capaldi. Well, CG and I saw it. Denis fell asleep in the first 10-15 minutes and didn’t revive until closing credits began (this is why CG is my main movie buddy, not Denis). When I told CG she was going to go see it with us, she balked initially, citing that it did not seem interesting to her. However, when the closing credits rolled she turned to me and said, “I’m really glad I came to see this movie.” I think that’s all the review I need to write, really.
Folks, it really is a lovely, simple movie for the child in everyone. If younger kids can make it through the first portion of the movie which shows Christopher Robin’s life as a post-war vet focusing on work in order to provide for his family, then once he discovers Pooh on a park bench near his house they will become enthralled from that moment forward. I see on Rotton Tomatoes that a lot of “professional” reviewers have given it lackluster reviews. To them I say, “Oh bother!” Is the movie predictable? Absolutely. Is it overly sweet at times? Sure. Is it faithful to the original story? Not really (after all, Pooh & friends are a figment of Christopher’s imagination, not something he would encounter in real life).
But when all is said and done, for this nostalgia-heavy movie you need to leave realism at the door and revel in the very simple, very powerful three-pronged message of this movie: work less, focus on family, and play more. My cynical-at-times teenager laughed in all the cute scenes and got misty-eyed during the sweet scenes.
My favorite Pooh character in this movie was Eeyore, voiced by Brad Garrett. If I could take him home and cuddle him all day long, I would. Unfortunately, the plush toys being marketed on store shelves don’t match the pure adorableness of the movie character’s animation. But oh my word, look at him in this picture. He’s precious. And Brad Garrett (Robert from “Everybody Loves Raymond) perfectly captured his pathos and general bleakness.
When I go to movies, I don’t overanalyze them – or at least, I haven’t since my college days when I saw “Empire of the Sun” for the first time and analyzed and picked apart that movie the whole next week (I love that movie). I go to movies to be taken into another world for a couple of hours. And “Christopher Robin” absolutely transported me into another world. A charming, twee world in another time when it makes perfect sense that a beloved childhood friend would come back into someone’s life and make things right.
Christopher Robin: [star rating=”95″ type=”percent”]
