Christopher Robin

Winnie the Pooh and the gang have touched generation after generation of children and adults with their purity, humor and heart, but nothing lasts forever – especially childhood. Director Marc Forester’s film “Christopher Robin,” released back in August, tries to tell what happens to the residents of The Hundred Acre Wood after the main character leaves to grow up and suddenly returns during a tough time in his adult life.

The basic story is easy and it has been done before in many films, including the really obvious comparison of Steven Spielberg’s “Hook,” but it’s one that works really well in this film. “Christopher Robin” eventually is a nice, adult film that strangely is more targeted to adults than the children. Kyle Wilson said in his review, “Much of the early film deals with tragedy and the pains of growing up for Christopher, albeit handled very gently by Forster knowing the family audience appeal of the characters.”

Wilson continued, “There in that first half of the film is where Christopher Robin will suffer with family audiences, namely the children that will expect more cuddly adventure and less mid-life crisis introspection. Those enjoyably nuanced character moments with Christopher as he grows up will go right over the heads of most young ones and quite frankly might bore many a child right out of the experience.”

It’s hard to criticize a film for having minor character moments done with respect and love, but the favorite team of The Hundred Acre Wood should touch every adult in all generations and not just be a paid respect for adult nostalgia. Wilson said, “Thankfully the melancholy and at times emotionally manipulative first half of the film takes the leash off for the final act with all of the characters in classic form going through a note-perfect adventure with the Robin family that, by this point, has earned the big smiles that will be no doubt be on the audience’s faces.”

Another aspect that will not really be understood by children will be the beautiful visuals of both London and The Hundred Acre Wood. Wilson said, “The entire film has a stunning pastel watercolor palette that instills a somber feeling of old memories and a world moving on. Christopher Robin as a film is not the bright flash and pizzazz of The Incredibles 2, this is mostly a quiet, reflective film that lovingly sends Pooh and friends on a new kind of adventure with Christopher and his family.”

Speaking of the Robin family, Ewan McGregor plays the adult Christopher Robin and there could not be a better choice for the role. The character of Christopher Robin is loaded with some heavy material as an adult and doesn’t always act in the most nice or likable ways to his wife Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and daughter Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) or even Pooh himself when he all of a sudden arrives in London. However, McGregor can be immediately likable and simply joyful in his performance that can instantly make you forget any problems the character has collected with one smile or act of kindness.

Not to give credit to the rest of the cast, which also absolutely captures in bringing back the characteristics of those who live in The Hundred Acre Wood with amazing choices like having Jim Cummings reprise his long-standing role as both Pooh and Tigger, while Brad Garrett is absolutely hilarious with his dead-on depressed Eeyore. Even fan favorites like Peter Capaldi as Rabbit and Toby Jones as Owl are such great choices that most film fans won’t even notice it’s them until the end credits.

Wilson said, “Christopher Robin isn’t your typical summer blockbuster experience at the cinema and is predominantly a film of quiet contemplation and the magic of nostalgia that would seem to be a better suited release for the holiday season.” Besides that, the film is a beautiful, nice trip back to your childhood that may lose current children after the miserable first half, but wraps things up with a nice fulfilling story with warmth and friendship.

This is definitely worth watching for those who are lifelong fans of Winnie the Pooh, like me. You will fall in love with this after watching it because it is a very nice story with some real sad moments. If you cry during certain parts, I won’t be surprised. If you missed the chance to see this in theaters, see it as a rental.

Look out tomorrow for the finale to “Disney Live-Action Month.”