Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, LBI Entertainment, Vinyl Films,

Cameron Crowe, Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Patrick Fugit, Colin Ford, Elle Fanning, Maggie Elizabeth Jones, John Michael Higgins, Angus Macfadyen, Peter Riegert, Stephanie Szostak, J.B. Smoove

Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is a recent widower raising two children, Dylan (Colin Ford) and Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones). They are suffering in the city, and everything reminds Benjamin of his wife. Dylan keeps getting in trouble, and Benjamin thinks a life in the country would do them much better. He finds the perfect house, but there is a problem. The property also includes a zoo that is being run very poorly by the government trying to keep the animals alive. Zookeeper Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson) is trying her best, but it’s a serious situation. Benjamin decides to purchase the property and attempt to save the zoo and open it to the public again, but they face multiple problems like broken down enclosures, higher than expected expenses, and a gruff inspector who is going to hold their feet to the fire for every infraction. This is a true story, and a heartwarming family film.

I really enjoyed this story on many levels. It is very, very well acted, and the people in each role is extremely competent and able to bring a lot to an ensemble cast. Tomas Haden Church as Duncan Mee, Benjamin’s brother is convinced his brother is nuts, but he brings a lot to the story as well. There is a bit of simple tension in the story as to whether they can survive or not, and some tough problems to solve, but the kids are good actors as well and bring alive their side of the story too. The family dynamic is very good, and it’s a heartwarming family story. This is the strength of the movie, but the animal stories are also touching, as is the business side of trying to rescue a worn out depressing old zoo. All in all, this film fires on all cylinders and is a great family film for kids and grown ups alike. It was perfect for release as a holiday film, and I highly recommend it for anyone who would care for a touching and heartwarming family film. It’s very well done.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

 

 

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Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)
Movie Review - We Bought a Zoo (2011) {PG}, 5.0 out of 5 based on 1 rating

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