*This review may contain spoilers for “Christopher Robin.”*
Walt Disney Pictures’ film “Christopher Robin,” left viewers with tears and told the story of the adult Christopher revisiting his childhood playground.
Marc Forster, the director, knows how to make adults cry. The box office has made a gross profit of over $135 million worldwide thus far with A.A. Milne’s beloved characters.
With the films budget of $70-75 million, Christopher Robin is shown as a grown man stuck in a dead-beat job. He not only has forgotten his childhood friends—the fellow playmates in the Hundred Acre Wood—but is also consumed by his job more than his family.
The film divides into the dark side of adulthood, where Robin has lost his way and doesn’t have a desire to have fun, or play anymore. The consumption of society has Robin believing there is only one way to success: climbing the ladder in the work place. Sound familiar?
Similar to the beliefs in society, Robin overlooks what he is missing in his life until Winnie the Pooh helps him find it—his childhood imagination and happiness.
The film begins with Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Owl and Rabbit throwing Robin a going away party. He is being sent away to boarding school, where he learns the discipline of the real world.
Now as an adult Christopher has denied his daughter, Madeline, the playtime and the attention she so desperately wants. It is nearing the end of summer and Madeline will be sent to the same boarding school to prepare her for the real world.
It isn’t until Christopher is brought back to the woods to find his Pooh and his missing friends that he realizes what he has given up on and what he is about to do to his Madeline, as well—denying her the pleasure of playing, imagining, creating etc.
Visually, “Christopher Robin” used a live-action adaption in the film; similar to the 2010’s film, “Alice in Wonderland.” The characters were portrayed through stuffed animal-like characters with bits of melancholy and wonder in their eyes.
The animation detail within each character stays true to the original characters.
The music in the film also follows some classic songs such as: “Up, Down, and Touch the Ground” and “The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers,” but has three new additional songs titled “Goodbye Farewell,” “Busy Doing Nothing,” and “Christopher Robin.” The film’s music has a combination of soft relaxing songs, but also some traditional goofy classic songs.
Any students in need of a break from doing way too much “something,” should take a break, “do nothing,” or see “Christopher Robin” before it leaves theaters.
As Pooh would say, “Sometimes doing nothing often leads to the very best something.”
“Christopher Robin” is definitely not only for children, but also for families and adults who have lost their way. If you or your family is in need of some nostalgic childhood magic, “Christopher Robin” will not disappoint.
