Saving Mr. Banks

Starring: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Paul Giamatti, Colin Farrell, Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, Ruth Wilson, Bradley Whitford, Rachel Griffiths
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Comedy, Drama
2013

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: PL Travers (Emma Thompson) reluctantly meets with Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) to discuss adapting Mary Poppins into a film.

Review:

Tim: I really enjoyed Saving Mr. Banks and the behind-the-scenes look at what it took to make the movie, Mary Poppins. The movie is helped by having a very interesting story, fascinating characters, and a very good cast. While this movie doesn't reach the heights of the best movies of 2013, it's still a very solid, well-made movie.

The story is fascinating, because we all are familiar with the classic Mary Poppins. However, we've never really seen the incredible process that went into making it. By any account, it wasn't easy. That story is very well told here- all the ups and downs. While there isn't a lot of suspense (we obviously know how the story ends), it's still a very interesting, entertaining journey. I actually really love these behind-the-scenes looks at the story behind the story. Hollywood rolls one of these out every so often, and if done well, can be well worth the trip. Saving Mr. Banks is definitely worth seeing.

The film is helped out by a truly impressive cast. Emma Thompson gives a good performance as P.L. Travers. This was a little bit of a challenging role, because Travers is so unlikeable for so much of the movie. She's a challenging, cold, difficult character. Thompson tackles this with energy and glee, and it's fun to see her embrace this character. There were maybe a few moments where it felt like she was overacting, but for the most part, she brings an unexpected depth to this character. Tom Hanks was very good as Walt Disney. He doesn't quite disappear into the role, but it was a nice supporting performance. It was actually nice seeing Hanks in a smaller supporting role. He interacts well with Thompson and certainly emerges as one of the most memorable parts of the film. His performance certainly captures the essence of Disney.

Colin Farrell gives a good performance as Mr. Goff. His story is told through flashbacks, but he gives a charismatic performance. I really enjoyed his character and was glad that some of his darker side was shown, too. Paul Giamatti has a very small but essential role. He has some of the film's most powerful emotional moments and was a huge addition to the cast. Jason Schwartzman, B.J. Novak, and Bradley Whitford had smaller roles, but they brought some very nice lighthearted humor to the film. The cast is impressive and nearly all give very strong performances.

John Lee Hancock does a very good job of making this movie about the true story and the characters. It was a winning formula for The Blind Side and works again here. While Saving Mr. Banks isn't quite a great movie, it's still a very solid piece of film making. The downside is that it was somewhat difficult to identify with any of the characters on a deep emotional level. I get why Mary Poppins was so important to Disney, but he's Walt Disney. Travers spends most of the time being unlikeable, so even when we learn the truth behind her difficult exterior, it still doesn't make us love her. The Blind Side was so good because it tugged on the heartstrings. While this one tries to, it doesn't quite achieve the same level of emotional impact. That prevents it from achieving its full potential.

Even still, Saving Mr. Banks is a very entertaining, fun movie. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 7.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
The Blind Side, Captain Phillips