RBR: We Bought a Zoo

To watch and enjoy this film, you have to know what you're in for. We Bought a Zoo makes no bones about its sentimentality. It's a film aimed to tug at your heart strings and does a good job of doing so. Loosely based on a true story, the film centers around a single father, named Benjamin Mee (played by Matt Damon), who decides to move him and his kids to a house that doubles as an actual zoo. Along the way, Mee learns how to relate to both the animals and his kids. It helps that he's a got pretty zookeeper (Scarlett Johanson) there to help him out. A lot of the credit goes to Damon who continues to turn in one fine performance after another. He expertly gets across the varied emotions that Mee goes through during the film without ever coming off as corny or pathetic. The animals serve as a nice backdrop, but this is really a story about people. Director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire) once again finds a pair of talented kid actors who do a nice job as Mee's children. A film like this should have a wider audience, but our cynical times just won't allow it, which is a shame. I know this movie will not be for everyone, but if you want a nice, wholesome film that can be watched and enjoyed by the entire family, you could do a lot worse than this movie. Rating: ****

Zoo crew

I've never been a huge Cameron Crowe fan and the premise of his new film, We Bought a Zoo, seemed a bit shaky, despite being based on a true story.  But watching this trailer I was sold.  This seems like it has the right combination of talented actors and animals to make this a solid story worth seeing.