Christopher Robin
Cert: G; Now showing
There are films that you can see where they intended to go, but still wonder at where they went. Christopher Robin is a case in a point, a somewhat unusual mix of theme and tone that ends up being neither a children’s film, nor an adult’s. It’s a live action film with some animation inserts — Pooh et al are shown as moving stuffed toys — all of which will appeal to children, but it is difficult to see who the target market is. Perhaps Pooh fans who are now adults undergoing a mid-life crisis?
Fans will recognise that Marc Forster’s film opens with the final scene from The House at Pooh Corner, where the animals are gathered to say goodbye to Christopher Robin who, at nine, is leaving for boarding school. The young Christopher (Orton O’Brien) and Pooh (Jim Cummings, who has voiced the bear and Tigger for 30 years) have a touching moment in their special place before the boy leaves, promising to never forget his childhood friends.
Boarding school, loss, life, love, war and work take their toll on Christopher Robin who has grown into Ewan McGregor and married Evelyn (Hayley Atwell). He works too hard, plays too little and it is there, about to lose his wife and daughter, that Pooh rediscovers Christopher.
It all gets a bit existential and gloomy forest for a time, before going back to being a fairly basic drama. It’s not bad, but it is a bit odd and I can’t see it thoroughly satisfying any audience, bar those now-adult Pooh fans in their own gloomy forests.