We Bought a Zoo

Review and Trailer Comments

• FilmBuff76

  After the disastrous Elizabethtown in 2005, Cameron Crowe returns to feature films with We Bought A Zoo. It's not exactly a return to form or a comeback though. It's based on the real-life story of Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon), a single father who uproots his family to take up residence in a small zoo. The zoo is running into financial difficulties, so everyone pulls together to get everything in order for the new opening day. In the meantime, Mee has to connect with his typically moody teenage son, love interest Scarlett Johansson and a boo-hissable park inspector. There's a bracing honesty to the scenes between Mee and his son, including a touching scene towards the end in a cafe. However, the film feels quite predictable and contrived, so it doesn't really feel like a true story. I'd imagine the real-life story isn't as coated in Hollywood magic dust. Despite its 2-hour-plus running time, it feels rather slight. If the film was an animal, it would be a giraffe rather than a tiger. All the same though, it's a pleasant enough watch, ideal for a matinee when you don't expect too much from a film.

  Posted 21:05 | Fri 16th Mar 2012

• Linda

  Very Good film Matt Damon plays a great role in this recommened to see this

  Posted 17:05 | Fri 23rd Mar 2012

• Bullet1001

  I bought a turd....when I bought a ticket for this film! A mawkish and disjointed borefest unfortunately.

  Posted 10:34 | Sun 25th Mar 2012

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