It's been almost a year since the film Goodbye Christopher Robin was released in theaters. A second film featuring the famous playmate of the once ubiquitous Pooh was released last month. Disney's Christopher Robin is less serious look at the grown up Christopher Robin. It is interesting that both films focused on the later life of Christopher Robin, although the latest version is delivered as fantasy fiction. A much more Pooh-oriented look at the human behind the childhood stories.
Christopher Robin opens with a storybook introduction to Christopher Robin's childhood with his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. The opening credits are interspersed with snippets of chapters from a book that recounts Robin's childhood exploits with his imaginary friends. The film picks up after World War II, where we find Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) immersed in his job as an efficiency manager at Winslow luggage. The stress of his job has created a widening rift with his daughter, Madeline (Bronte Carmichael) and wife Evelyn (Hayley Atwell). The answer to Christopher Robin's problems are not found in charts and statistics, but in the simplicity of his childhood fantasies.
Christopher Robin is a tough film to evaluate objectively. It was delivered with a soft touch. The pacing was snooze inducing and the plot predictable. However, the precise resolution of the plot was not as transparent, adding interest to the story. It was simple, but the characters were engaging. The visual qualities of the story added impact to the characters as well. This film went with a traditional look for the animated characters, giving them an unpolished, yet endearing quality. The decision could have been made to update the look of the characters, but I think it was a wise choice to go with a classic look. The story could have been better, particularly the pacing. But I remained engaged even when I felt like nodding off.
Ewan McGregor was an interesting choice for Christopher Robin. He brought a veteran presence to the film. I was a bit surprised that Disney went with two lesser known actors to support McGregor's character, but it wasn't a bad decision. I thought Carmichael was solid as Christopher's daughter Madeline. She has quite a bit of work coming up. I haven't seen On Chesil Beach yet, but she is listed in the credits for that film as well as an upcoming film and a television series that are still due to be released. I was a bit less enthralled by Hayley Atwell, who is best known as Captain America's sidekick, Peggy Carter in the Marvel films. She was decent, but not exceptional.
The MPAA awarded Christopher Robin a PG Rating. The film is typical classic Disney. Not much objectionable in the film. In fact, I have to strain to remember anything to push it from G territory into the PG realm. This film was made for both adults and children alike. The only element I can think of that might get this film into the PG arena was a child who strikes out on her own and has her family worried about her. There was some mildly intense subject matter involving the mythical Huffalump, which never materializes. Overall, this film was designed for families. You are likely to find it far tamer than your average prime-time television program. Great for all ages.
I wish Christopher Robin had better pacing. With better pacing, this film would have gotten a better recommendation from me. IMDb has an aggregate score of 7.7 right now. It was a bit higher a couple of weeks ago. I think the excitement of the film has settled in and normal ratings are bringing it back to the realm of average. Beyond the pacing, the film felt a little bit hackneyed and opportunities for strong emotional responses seemed a bit glossed over. The film wanted to engage viewers, and it did, but without the strong heartbeat that will evoke tears. It is a decent film that could have been much better. 7/10.
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