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We Bought a Zoo may be one of the finest family-friendly Christmas movies in years. Sure, it’s not perfect, but it is a movie that nearly every age group could appreciate, and most importantly – at least for a Christmas movie – it leaves you with a warm feeling, and a greater appreciation for those people who are in your life.
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Six months after the death of his wife, Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) quits his job. Then his 14-year-old son, Dylan, gets expelled from school. In the pain of seeing memories of his wife in every room in their home, he suddenly decides to move his family into a different home, and different school district. Benjamin's 7-year-old daughter, Rosie, could not be more excited that her father, without much explanation, decides to buy a property that is both a home and a defunct zoo. Dylan couldn’t hate it more.
Just about everything is wrong with the zoo: cages are not regulation size, the staff is bares bones, one of the tigers is about to die, and more than once animals end up in places they are not supposed to be. The zoo inspector is a hateful man who forces them to fix mistakes as small as inches. But, in the end, everyone comes together and opens the zoo to the public.
The film is less hokey than it sounds. Besides one character’s complete loathing of another, the majority of it is very believable, specifically when it comes to the personal relationships that are both built and destroyed in the film. This film is intended to make you both laugh and cry, and for me it worked on both counts.
Overall, it’s a story about not just moving on, but moving forward with whatever life hands you. It’s about finding love, it’s about loving your family well, and it’s about simply finding happiness around you.
Keep the little ones at home, but bring the rest of the family to this film this season. 4 out of 5 stars |
