Christopher Robin: Why I love movies
There’s something to be said about a movie that gets you teary eyed during the first five minutes. That something is, “Go see it.” “Christopher Robin” hits you right in the feels before the title card even presents itself on-screen. Your heart-strings are going to be played like a harp, and you are going to cry like a man drafted to the Cleveland Browns. At the end of this movie, you’re going to want to go out and buy a stuffed animal to hug (my Eeyore is in the mail).
With that being said, “Christopher Robin” is not a perfect movie. There are some parts where the movie’s pace grinds to a near stop, and there are some awkward attempts at comedy that made me cringe and actually took me out of the movie. These scenes usually involve Christopher Robin’s interactions with his overly friendly neighbor. They attempt to make the interactions funny, contrasting Robin’s impatience with the neighbor’s persistence. But it just comes off as overly awkward. But these complaints really aren’t bad enough to drag the movie down too much.
Now that my negatives have been addressed, let’s hit the positives. “Christopher Robin” follows the titular character (Ewan McGregor) as he grows up, leaves behind Winnie the Pooh and the Hundred-Acre-Wood, finds a wife (Hayley Atwell), and has a daughter (Bronte Carmichael). As an adult, Christopher Robin finds that he is about to lose his job, his family, or both, until his old friend Winnie the Pooh (Jim Cummings) finds him in the middle of London. Together, Christopher Robin must join Winnie the Pooh on an adventure to find the other residents of the Hundred-Acre-Wood, and maybe even himself.
Now guys, I have to get a little candid here. Ok, maybe a lot candid. The last few months of my life have been…rough. I left Penn State Law, moved back home, and found myself heartbroken and lost in life. Many days and nights have been spent in seemingly endless frustration and anguish, pouring over job sites to try to find a job I am qualified for that doesn’t involve crunching numbers behind a desk all day long. This is why “Christopher Robin” struck such a chord with me.
My eyes were glued to the screen, as I saw myself in Christopher Robin. Robin may not be in the same position I am, but his frustration and life conflicts spoke to me. His interactions with his childhood friends made me laugh, made me cry, made me listen. The animals of the Hundred-Acre-Wood may have childlike naivety, but they have hearts that will touch everyone who sees this movie.
Speaking of the animals, let’s talk about them. Of the entire cast of characters (Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga, and Roo) the only voice actor of the old cartoons to return to their role was Jim Cummings (Pooh and Tigger). Which is unfortunate, as I feel like bringing back the classic voices would have been a nice touch (especially Peter Cullen as Eeyore, he needs a movie to be in other than “Transformers” and a role other than Optimus Prime). Granted, the voices of Rabbit, Piglet, and Owl I grew up with have passed away, so I suppose there was no other alternative (plus, Jim Cummings isn’t the original voice of Pooh or Tigger, but he is the voice I grew up with). Also, every animal has an aesthetic reminiscent of plush toys, except Owl and Rabbit. For some reason, Rabbit and Owl are animated in a different style than the others, and it really sticks out like a sore thumb. I adore the designs of the other animals, but Rabbit in particular looks plain ugly in his current design.
Winnie the Pooh himself is as innocent and childlike as ever, but when he says a super heart wrenching line, you feel it in your very soul. Pooh is still the unquestioned face of this franchise, but honestly, Eeyore stole the show. Every scene that features Eeyore makes you laugh that deep belly laugh that leaves you gasping for air. Maybe it is just because I identify with Eeyore’s cynicism and self-deprecating statements, but he truly is my favorite in this movie.
I could sit here and talk all day about this movie, but I gotta cut it off somewhere. “Christopher Robin” is more than just a joy to watch. It reminded me of why I love movies so much. But I can’t bring myself to give it too high of a score due to its missteps. I feel like an 8/10 is perfect for this movie. I love this movie, and I recommend you go out and watch it. Bring some tissues.
P.S. I’m serious about getting that Eeyore plush. Maybe I’ll have to hide behind it when I watch “Slenderman” for my next review. Thanks for reading, I hope to see you all again real soon.
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-Dalton Cooper
“No art passes our conscience in the way film does, and goes directly to our feelings, deep down into the dark rooms of our souls.” -Ingmar Bergman
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