…but don’t have a clue!
Matt Damon plays Benjamin Mee, a man trying to escape the ghostly presence of his deceased wife, by uprooting his two children and moving them to a dilapidated zoo.
Based on a real story, We Bought A Zoo is a family drama with plenty of character and pathos. Mee struggles with his emotional baggage, as well as attempting to reconnect with his children - one of which is a moody teenage boy (Colin Ford) who draws demonic cartoons and ignores everyone. His efforts go mostly unrewarded, at first, but the journey of this adventure teaches the man plenty of life and love, whilst he finds the perfect distraction from his heartache.
The zoo comes with its own set of problems, not least the severe debts it causes for any owner, as well as the surly set of staff who seem certain that Mee will move on pretty sharpish. Head of staff Kelly (Scarlett Johansson) shows Mee the ropes, but even her unrelenting commitment to the zoo and animals won’t save them from the evils of the upcoming inspection.
Aside from the frailties of human interaction, there is also, obviously, plenty of animal fun to be had from this film. The different species at this zoo are an important part of the movie’s effect, and it would not be the same without them. This additional depth to the cast creates a wonderful family film, one for all ages.
Moving and affecting in places, We Bought A Zoo has just the right amount of tenderness and intimacy without getting all gushy, and the ensemble works well to add equal amounts of comedy and drama.
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