CHRISTOPHER ROBIN ■ As sweet as honey
Disney is on fire when it comes to its live-action adaptations of beloved animated things. Part of this is because the House of Mouse has a shrewd eye for matching talented directors with appropriate properties, and this is no different with recruiting Marc Forster to helm CHRISTOPHER ROBIN.
While the simplest pitch for CHRISTOPHER ROBIN is ‘HOOK with Winnie-the-Pooh’, it feels closer to Forster’s earlier FINDING NEVERLAND than Spielberg’s divisive family movie. If you’re familiar with HOOK, you’ll be familiar with the premise for CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, too. The titular character, lovingly played by the always talented Ewan McGregor, leaves Winnie-the-Pooh (and the rest of Pooh’s friends) and commits the cardinal sin of growing up.
The opening backstory moves fast enough, but the rest of the movie plods along like Winnie post honey feast. The G rating also seems to necessitate more of a formulaic story, too, which means CHRISTOPHER ROBIN sticks very closely to tried-and-proven story beats. What separates it from the throng of mundane family-friendly movies is the talented cast, the endearing antics of Winnie-the-Pooh and his friends, as well as the abundance of heart that permeates throughout.
CHRISTOPHER ROBIN isn’t the kind of movie you need to see on the big screen or even need to see more than once. But whether you’re looking for an entertaining family movie, a way to feel like a child again for an hour and a half, or want to be moved to both smiles and tears, CHRISTOPHER ROBIN has the right kind of Disney magic to demand it should be seen.
