It could have been sick-makingly sentimental but thanks to a couple
of terrific performances from Domhnall Gleeson as the author A.A. Milne
and a remarkable child actor named Will Tilston, making his debut as the
boy who 'becomes' Christopher Robin, Simon Curtis' film "Goodbye,
Christopher Robin" is, instead, moving, intelligent and very likable. In
fact, this is one of the best films about childhood I've seen in a very
long time.
It's simply the story of how Milne's relationship with his son not only inspired the Christopher Robin and Pooh stories but also helped him recover from the shell-shock brought on by his time spent fighting in the Great War, an experience that also turned him into a pacifist. It's also a great film about celebrity which, for a child, isn't necessarily a good thing. The success of the stories turned young Milne into a kind of superstar of his day with the line between reality and illusion becoming a rather tricky one to walk. I doubt if any royal baby ever received this kind of adulation. Excellent work, too, from Margot Robbie as the boy's somewhat distant mother and from Kelly Macdonald as his beloved nanny. A real treat.
No comments:
Post a Comment