Christopher Robin
Fantasy comedy. With Ewan McGregor and Hayley Atwell. Director: Marc Forster. PG V. As a young boy Christopher Robin had lots of adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood with his friends Winnie the Pooh, Tigger (both voiced by Jim Cummings), Eeyore (voiced by Brad Garrett) and Piglet (voiced by Nick Muhammed).
But now Christopher (McGregor) is all grown up and under a lot of pressure at work and he’s completely forgotten what it means to have fun. Luckily his daughter (Bronte Carmichael), wife (Atwell) and Pooh the “silly old bear” haven’t given up on his inner child.
Disney bosses have had huge success with their version of AA Milne’s stories so it seems inevitable they’d turn Winnie the Pooh into a live-action film, as they have done with some of Disney’s other beloved animated movies such as Beauty and the Beast and The Jungle Book.
This could be seen as a cynical cashgrab but, like those successful new versions, the blend of live action and CGI in Christopher Robin is well done and, thanks to meticulous animation and great voice work, Pooh and his friends are as loveable as ever. The acting is believable and you’re drawn into this magical world almost instantly.
At times the film’s tone shifts from nostalgic to melancholy, and younger viewers might feel a bit sad without understanding why, so perhaps the filmmakers could’ve done a better job of explaining some of the adult characters’ behaviour.
But for the most part this is a fun, enjoyable adventure with characters that feel like your slightly aged childhood friends.