CHRISTOPHER ROBIN Spoiler-Free Review; "[It's] As Sweet As A Jar Full Of Honey"
Christopher Robin is now playing in theaters and reaches the UK on Friday. Here, you'll find our review of the movie but does it live up to the high expectations which come with that childhood nostalgia?
Editor's Note: While Christopher Robin was released in North America at the beginning of August, it doesn't reach the UK until this Friday, hence why this review is only just now going up. Enjoy!
Disney has produced hit after hit with it's live-action slate and while Christopher Robin isn't quite up there with, say, The Jungle Book, it does a superb job of capturing the spirit of Winnie the Pooh and his friends while also delivering a very unique, new take on their adventures. Kicking off with a surprisingly dark montage revealing how the titular character had his childhood taken from him after being sent to boarding school, learning of his father's death, and having to fight in the war, it doesn't take long until we're reintroduced to the Pooh crew for a relatively straightforward and simple adventure which revolves around Christopher recapturing the joy of his youth and realising that there's more than one way to be there for his family.
That's really as complex as the movie gets but it's so much fun spending time with these beloved characters, it's highly unlikely that will end up bothering you. Mark Forster may make some occasionally strange decisions when it comes to shooting the movie (some scenes look like they'd be better off in an actual, dead serious period drama rather than what is essentially a children's film) but he captures Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, and Eeyore perfectly, with the latter - voiced by Brad Garrett - stealing the show with some killer lines.
As great as the human performances are (Ewan McGregor is excellent but Hayley Atwell is mostly wasted as the stereotypical, nagging wife), Christopher Robin belongs to the toys and it's an absolute joy each and every time they're on screen. You'll fall in love with them all over again here and regardless of whether it's seeing Pooh do his morning exercises or Tigger singing an all too familiar song, fans of these characters will undoubtedly walk away very happy. The voice cast is fantastic but I can't help but wonder of there might have been a slightly better choice for Piglet than Nick Mohammed. He's fine but something of a departure from what we're used to.
Overall, Christopher Robin makes up for a somewhat straightforward and familiar plot by managing to deliver a fun adventure packed full of heart which will make any Winnie the Pooh fan immensely satisfied. Seeing these beloved Disney characters brought to life will bring you nothing but happiness and it would be great to get a sequel where we're given the opportunity to spend even more time with them and a little less time with Christopher's mid-life crisis!
A wonderful family film, Christopher Robin hits all the right notes for fans of Winnie the Pooh and is as sweet as a jar full of honey. Oh, bother!
