‘Christopher Robin’ is ‘sweet’ adventure for Winnie the Pooh
Disney has adapted another classic animated film to the big screen, this time Christopher Robin, a live-action retelling of Winnie the Pooh, arrives in theaters and is certainly a “sweet” film.
Ewan McGregor plays the titular Christopher Robin, who is now all grown up, struggling to find success and happiness in a post-World War II world. The adult Christopher is met with his old playmates seeking his help back in the Hundred Acre Wood, throwing all of his certainties out the window.Finding Neverland and World War Z filmmaker Marc Forster directs the film from a script by Allison Schroeder and Alex Ross Perry.
Hayley Atwell (Agent Carter) stars as Christopher’s wife Evelyn and Bronte Carmichael has been cast as his daughter Madeline, both having moving moments, but aren’t relevant to Christopher’s journey with Pooh and his friends: voiced by Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh; Chris O’Dowd as Tigger; Brad Garrett as Eeyore; Toby Jones as Owl; Nick Mohammed as Piglet; Peter Capaldi (Doctor Who) as Rabbit; and Sophie Okonedo as Kanga.
The official synopsis is at the bottom, check out the trailer below.
Pooh is magnificent with Cummings’ voice perfectly pulling at heartstrings as the “Silly Old Bear” offers up his words of wisdom. The pacing is really too slow and may bore the audience before the adventure really turns interesting. Mostly a rehash of Steven Spielberg’s Hook, Christopher is in need of some soul searching to find some joy in life and re-prioritize his family.
Mark Gatiss (Sherlock) plays more of a “spoiled rich kid” boss rather than anything “evil” leaving Christopher being overly dramatic about his lot in life and we are right to just yell out, “Just quit the job already” instead of venturing into his childhood memories.
Disney is seriously overreaching to sell a new stuffed version of kids’ favorite character without offering much of an “adventure” for the lovable Piglet, Tigger or Eeyore. Rabbit, Kanga, Owl and Roo are nearly absent altogether, but are definitely forgettable.
McGregor can easily handle the role, not pressed for much by Forster or the studio, but that’s the point: keep it simple and sweet…and well, that’s what Christopher Robin is…SWEET.
More like their Pete’s Dragon remake rather than Beauty and the Beast or Cinderella, Christopher Robin is a childish venture, void of any grand visual effects or spectacular moments. The action and theme is focused around the family and Pooh, which is tedious at times.
Christopher Robin receives out 2 1/2 stars out of 5 stars
For a full list of Disney’s upcoming live-action remakes, click here.
JIM CUMMINGS EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW HERE
Here’s the official synopsis for Christopher Robin:
In the heartwarming live action adventure Disney’s “Christopher Robin,” the young boy who shared countless adventures with his band of lovable stuffed animals in the Hundred Acre Wood is now grown up and living in London but he has lost his way. Now it is up to his childhood friends to venture into our world and help Christopher Robin rediscover the joys of family life, the value of friendship and to appreciate the simple pleasures in life once again.
Disney’s “Christopher Robin” is directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by Alex Ross Perry and Allison Schroeder and a story by Perry based on characters created by A.A. Milne and E.H. Shepard. The producers are Brigham Taylor and Kristin Burr with Renée Wolfe and Jeremy Johns serving as executive producers. The film stars Ewan McGregor as Christopher Robin; Hayley Atwell as his wife Evelyn; Bronte Carmichael as his daughter Madeline; and Mark Gatiss as Giles Winslow, Robin’s boss. The film also features the voices of: Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh and Tigger; Brad Garrett as Eeyore; Toby Jones as Owl; Nick Mohammed as Piglet; Peter Capaldi as Rabbit; and Sophie Okonedo as Kanga.