Family Flick Movie Review: We Bought a Zoo

Moviemakers these days seem to be pushing family flicks over the brink of extinction. Is it because families do not have time to watch movies together anymore? Or is Hollywood running out of ideas for family entertainment? Whatever the reason might be, movies with a broad family appeal are becoming a rarity. It is becoming quite an ordeal to find a movie suitable to watch with my six-year old son, who is rapidly turning into a movie buff like me.
Having said all that, I must say that I admire the thoroughness with which the 2011 movie “We Bought a Zoo” caters to the whole family. Acclaimed filmmaker Cameron Crowe (“Jerry Maguire”, “Almost Famous”) directs an amazing story about a widower who decides that his grieving children need a fresh start. So they move to the most unlikely of places: a zoo. With the help of a diverse set of staff the family works to return the rundown zoo to its former glory.
In lesser hands, a film seemingly based on a familiar formula would have landed in a sentimental mess that often devours films like these. Instead, with the aid of a strong acting ensemble and Crowe's dexterity in developing his characters from inside out, we have an intelligent family film.
The movie is based on a memoir written in 2006 by Benjamin Mee, former journalist of “The Guardian” about how he and his family rescued a failing zoo in Devon. The real Mee bought Dartmoor Wildlife Park when his wife became ill, however, in the movie she dies before the opening credits.
The events chronicle the attempts of Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon), father of two, who feels the pain of losing his wife to cancer and puts his children teenaged Dylan (Colin Ford) and seven-year-old Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), over his job. But when Dylan is expelled from school, six months after the tragedy, Benjamin starts thinking. He realises that the hurt will take longer to heal if they remain in the shadow of their past. So he attempts to glue together the broken pieces of his family by finding a sanctuary in a crumbling country house that comes with a zoo.
At the Rosemoor Wildlife Park, the family gets to know a team of quirky staff members led by head zookeeper, Kelly Foster (Scarlett Johansson). Later, when the forthright, no-nonsense Kelly asks Mee why he bought a failing zoo when he had no experience, he replies, “Why not?” The team has a good alchemy and in spite of rising debts and personal tension, financial difficulties and heartbreak, they work together. Mee had never been a wildlife advocate but somehow the dilapidated zoo echoes his own fractured life. He empathizes with the wild creatures in his menagerie, especially the dying tiger, Spar, whose despair mirrors his own.
Damon's performance is extraordinary. He understands the depth of his character and lets us glimpse into the hurting and lonely person beneath the tough exterior of intelligence and wit. The director fittingly captures the magic of Rosemoor and its animal inhabitants. Simply watching them interact offers a number of genuinely touching moments.
With the sunshine seeping through the leaves of majestic trees, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto aptly portrays the tranquility of the spot. Finally, the eclectic and mood-altering music by Iceland's Jónsi appeals as everything else about the film.
This easy-going, likable film might not be lauded by critics but the film is not likely to dishearten its audience. Of all the movies I have seen this year "We Bought a Zoo" is definitely one from the heart.
The story is one of hope and healing, and the rebuilding of the zoo provides a metaphor for the family's personal journey. In case, you are still wondering why you should watch this movie, just ask yourself, “Why not?”