Review Summary: A wonderful return to the big screen for some very special friends.
There's a reason why Christopher Robin was my most anticipated movie of the year. It's because Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit and the rest of the gang held special importance to me as a child. Ok, maybe some of that is attributed to the fact that I grew up in the time when there was a Pooh movie in theaters every other year. But, there was an innocent, gentle and wholesome quality about them that I would consider to be a safe place for me and my imagination. Creating stories and imaginary adventures with these characters described me as someone struggling with social skills in my elementary years.
To be honest, I was both concerned and excited about this project when it was first announced. But, after the director (Marc Forster of Finding Neverland, a perfect choice) was confirmed and after the first trailer dropped, I had a feeling this was going to be special. And, yes, while the film decisively (and for good reason) is a little more mature than the cartoons I grew up with, this is still one of the most heartwarming and engaging movie experiences I've seen all year.
Let's start with the story. The plot is simple, and mostly refrains from sophistication or complexity. But that's by design. You don't go into a movie with these characters expecting a deep and gritty story. You go for a charming and easy-to-follow plot that kids and adults can enjoy together. There's also a refreshing lack of modernity here. The fact that the script here (penned by Allison Schroeder, Alex Ross Perry and Oscar-winner Tom McCarthy) is as gentle and simple as anything Pooh and company have graced before is perhaps the biggest compliment I can give this film.
As for Pooh and the gang, they are depicted almost brilliantly. With the exception of Rabbit and Owl (who are realistic depictions of the animals they are), the other characters give off an aged stuffed animal feel, which is very appropriate. They stay in character pretty much as well. It was a wise choice to go this route, instead of doing CGI cartoon creations similar to that of The Smurfs and The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water. For the voice cast behind the characters, it was a treat to hear Jim Cummings again as Pooh and Tigger. They have been voicing these characters for 20 years, and they don't sound like they've aged a day. I also was impressed with Brad Garrett and Toby Jones, who sound almost exactly like what I remember Eeyore and Owl (Garrett is given some of the film's funniest moments, in the meantime).
On the lesser side, Rabbit (Peter Capaldi) and Piglet (Nick Mohammed) don't quite sound the same as I remember (though to be fair, their original voice actors passed away years ago), but their personalities are executed correctly. I was also slightly disappointed that Rabbit (my personal favorite character from the earlier cartoons and movies) didn't appear as much as the others, but he is given a decent amount of dialogue in the handful of scenes he appears in. It might seem odd that Roo has not grown up after 30 years, but that didn't really bother me honestly.
As for Christopher himself, Ewan McGregor gives a multi-layered performance that works very well. His interactions with the characters are incredibly convincing, and his changing moods and motivations are even more so. While Hayley Atwell (a.k.a. Agent Carter) and Bronte Carmichael (to a lesser extent) are restrained in terms of screentime, they do solidly with what they are given.
The cinematography work here is terrific, with multiple techniques. There's also a very clever color contrast here that reflects Christopher's persona and attitude. In his more uptight and controlling state, the sky remains cloudy and gloomy. But, in a more playful, happy, and carefree state, the sun comes out and everything becomes beautiful (Pooh sums it up quite nicely: "It's always a sunny day when Christopher Robin comes to play").
The film gives occasional nods to earlier Winnie the Pooh productions, but none more so than the musical themes. The music score plays familiar beats of the "Winnie the Pooh" theme a few times. There's also brief inclusions of two classic Sherman Brothers tunes, "Up, Down, Touch the Ground" and "The Most Wonderful Thing About Tiggers". These songs are wisely used briefly, so they succeed in not distracting people too much from what's going on. Because this movie isn't just a celebration of these characters.
It's also a morality tale, too. The film contains strong messages and themes for the adults in the crowd. The film reminds us of the importance of organizing priorities and taking into account the influence one has on the next generation. The importance of slowing down and just doing nothing every now and then is also shown to be a very important thing. These main points are a point of discussion at the end of the film. Now, I did find the confrontation scene between Christopher and his boss to be a little too on the nose in its execution. But it doesn't slow things down or interrupt the otherwise fun tone too much.
Besides that, the other brief scene that felt out-of-place was Christopher Robin fighting in World War II. While maybe about 10 seconds long altogether, I just didn't find it to be necessary. Perhaps a letter explanation might would have succeeded in keeping the film's introduction from being a tad jarring. It also might be too intense for the very young ones in the audience. In the meantime, Christopher Robin also nails quite a handful of emotional scenes. There were a couple of times where I just about teared up. Especially if you grew up watching these characters, you'll understand why.
After seeing this movie and hearing others' opinions, I notice that Christopher Robin is not just a kids' movie. It's a movie for everyone. Yes, its' still just about as family-friendly and charming as any movie with these characters. But, there's things here for anyone of any age to enjoy. With the exception of a few minor hiccups, it still (for the most part) lived up to my expectations. And honestly, it represents the kind of all-ages fare that Disney once was famous for, and (most importantly) should make more often.
My Score: 8.9/10
Content Concerns for Family Viewing: Christopher Robin is rated PG for "some action". The scene in the movie that earns the rating is the brief war scene. There is a loud explosion (a building is seen bursting apart in flames). Soldiers are seen running for cover, and ash briefly rains from the sky. Elsewhere, Christopher falls into a deep pit and is knocked unconscious. He has a dream where an imaginary Heffalump (or an elephant) is yanking him away forcefully from his friends. Any other "action" is slapstick (Tigger causing some damage by bouncing and pouncing, Eeyore getting flipped and landing on his head, Christopher Robin pretending to hunt and get rid of a Heffalump, a person running into a pole, etc.). Besides that, in response to someone seeing a stuffed animal talk, a police officer thinks he had too much "lemonade". Someone mistakes Eeyore's tail for a "voodoo heirloom". Madeline goes on a cross-country journey without parental supervision. Christopher's boss can be controlling and manipulative. The same boss exclaims, "My Lord! he's gone bonkers!" once toward the end of the film.
