We Bought a Zoo opens with the voice of Dylan Mee (Colin Ford), narrating glimpses of his journalist father Benjamin’s (Matt Damon) worldly adventures. Ben’s been embedded with violent dictators, covered with killer bees and flown through the eye of a hurricane, but as Dylan explicitly states, “nothing prepared him for this one”—the “this one” being the titular purchasing of a zoo on the brink of closure. Director Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire, Almost Famous) has never been one for subtly, but that’s never been the goal. We Bought a Zoo drops the cynicism, wears its heart on its sleeve and doesn’t mind laying it on thick in an effort to move you, which it does—whether you like it or not.
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Six months after his wife’s death, Ben still doesn’t have a grasp on
how to be a good parent. He struggles to throw together bagged lunches
for his daughter Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones), watches Dylan downward
spiral into school expulsion, reluctantly accepts lasagnas from the
sympathetic family friends and grieves over iPhoto montages of a life
that once was. Every corner of his home conjures up familial memories,
prompting Ben to hightail it out of town. After a desperate house hunt,
Ben sets his sights on a stunning country home that comes with one
twist: it’s the home to lions and tiger and bears (oh my!).
Along with its diverse collection of fauna, Ben’s new zoo sports a
colorful cast of staff members, including Peter MacCready, the
temperamental Scottish maintenance man, Robin, the laid-back handyman
with a monkey on his shoulder, and Kelly, the young, committed animal
handler (Scarlett Johansson). Ben inspires his team with motivational
speeches (and signed checks), and together, they work to rebuild and
reopen the park.
We Bought a Zoo explores its themes of loss and renewal on the
surface, with cartoony characters, hammy dialogue and a score by Jónsi
of Sigur Rós that steers you towards an emotional destination. But it
all works, thanks in large part to Matt Damon’s charm and a general air
of niceness to the whole package. Damon is one of the few stars capable
of playing a Regular Joe. Watching him have his butt kicked by zoo
chores is delightful, while he adds true gravity to the dramatic
moments. Whether he’s butting heads with his morose son in a screaming
match or tearing up over his inescapable past, Damon digs deeper than
Crowe and Aline Brosh McKenna’s (The Devil Wears Prada, 27 Dresses)
screenplay. The rest of the cast manages to elevate the material
too—Johansson keeps herself down to Earth; Thomas Haden Church, as Ben’s
skeptical brother Duncan, knocks every joke out of the park; And the
young Elle Fanning inspires once again as Kelly’s bubbly, tween cousin
who falls for the disgruntled Dylan (although no one seems to have a
problem with a 12-year-old spending her days working/living at a zoo;
her parents are completely out of the picture).
The movie doesn’t take unexpected turns or make profound statements,
but it succeeds in its goal of tugging the audience’s heartstrings. The
world of We Bought a Zoo is one where everything works out if you
persevere, have hope and open yourself up to love. That’s not reality,
but rather, inspirational thinking. Perfect for the holiday season.
Rating : 3.5/5 – A Heart Warming Story
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