AC21: Random Movie Review - Saving Mr. Banks

You know before I did this review, I actually thought I already did a review of this great film. Well today I am rectifying that. So completing the series of films about or featuring Walt Disney, we come to one where its all about the troubling production of Mary Poppins at a time where Disney were largely making musicals and nothing else. We have a lot of questions such as why is Mary Poppins so beloved, why the author of the books dismissed the idea of it being an animated musical and what did Walt Disney have to say about all of this. Possibly one of the rarest of Disney films to be tailored more for adults than children, but its a good one. So let's get to it:

Set in 1961, Pamela "P.L." Travers (played by Nanny McPhee herself, Emma Thompson) has made a series of books, but is financially strapped. At the urging of her agent Diarmuid Russell (played by Ronan Vibert), she reluctantly travels to Los Angeles from London to work on a film adaptation of her books as a certain Walt Disney (played by quite possibly the only actor to have won more awards than any other out there, Tom Hanks) has tried to pursue the rights for years on a promise to his children that he would make a film about the books and has agreed with Russell that the film is to have no animation and the script would be reviewed by Travers. As work on the film begins, Travers and Disney along with his staff clash with one another over aspects and elements of the film, but perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel yet. And as it all happens, Travers's past is revealed via flashbacks and of which her book and film would later be loosely based on.

This is by far a great film. Its well acted, has a serious but heartwarming and light heartened story and it just shows the world that Disney can in fact do serious films when they need to. Although the ending is very inaccurate to what actually happened, its a lovely film all about opening up to someone and having one's life change forever for better or for worse. I personally really enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too. 9/10