Domhnall Gleeson Margot Robbie Kelly Macdonald Will Tilston Alex Lawther Geraldine Somerville
This film is enchanting in the depiction of a
father and son suddenly left on their own forging a bond through imaginative
play. This is the best part of the
story that would eventually become the beloved Winnie-the-Pooh stories for
children. But the film covers more
troubling times, such as A. A. Milne’s military service in WWI, which left him
with what sounds like our current understanding of PTSD, his beautiful wife
Daphne who bore a son “who almost killed me” out of a sense of duty and was
drawn toward London society, and their son, Christopher “Billy” Moon, whose
imagination helped his father with his mental turmoil and provided inspiration
for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories, but became a publicity-fueled nightmare.
We’re introduced to Alan Milne (Gleeson) and
his wife Daphne (Robbie) at a ball where he is obviously uncomfortable (having
just returned from military service), but is easily cheered/charmed by his
lovely wife. When she gets
pregnant soon after and gives birth to a boy (much to her disappointment, since
she figures he will go to war eventually), a nanny (Macdonald) is engaged to
take care of him. She is
essential, since the Milnes are away from home frequently in the evening and
traveling. Christopher (Tilston)
comes to love “Nu” as much as his parents, but when she must leave for a time
to attend to her ailing mother and Daphne feels compelled to leave their
country home for London city life, the awkward father and precocious son are
left to their own devices.
It turns out that Christopher is just what the
frustrated, war-scarred writer needs to get past his writing block (he is
writing a book against war) and become productive. The child seems to understand intuitively what is bothering
his father, and talks about it in a way that will help Milne redefine his
hallucinations into something nonthreatening. Milne does eventually write and publish the book Peace with Honour, but before that, he
turns the fantasies that he and his son weave together on their walks in the
woods into a children’s book that goes all over the world.
The rest of the story illustrates the
all-too-frequent perils of publicity on children and families. When the book becomes famous, the
Milnes are naïve in setting no limits on campaigns and interviews involving
Christopher, even when the knowledgeable nanny tries to enlighten them. They will only “get it” when their son
becomes so resentful and alienated from them, he enlists in the armed services,
and they fear they have lost him forever.
The writers Frank Cottrell Boyce and Simon
Vaughan and director Simon Curtis have produced what I think is a story for our
current times. We have witnessed
countless young people who have been compromised by the adulation of the
public, which can literally swallow up an unprotected, unsuspecting
celebrity. Some survive to go on,
but some don’t.
But as valuable as this segment is, it is only
a small portion of the film; the first part is entirely enchanting, with the
three main actors being a joy to watch.
Gleeson is top-notch in every role he plays (my personal favorite is in Ex Machina), and it’s only a matter of
time before he receives major awards.
Here, he is the sensitive artist who has some difficulty navigating the
real world, but is a wizard in creative endeavors. Margot Robbie was perfect casting for a woman who is
beautiful and engaging, but more suited to promotional endeavors than
motherhood. (The evidence of her
versatility is in her role as Ann Burden in Z is for Zachariah.) Young
Christopher Robin is played by Will Tilston, who is captivating with his
dimples, but shows considerable acting talent when he is required to be
fanciful, loving, desperate, and demanding. The switch in actors to Alex Lawther is unfortunate in its
lack of continuity; he looks and acts completely different from the earlier
character.
Carter Burwell’s music entertains and supports
the story in its different periods of time, and David Roger’s production design
carries the viewer right into early 20th Century homes and
cities.
For an enchanting, nostalgic evening
with contemporary issues to ponder, this film will serve you well.
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