Saving Mr. Banks

Saving Mr. Banks

Rated R and Released in Grand Rapids 12/20/13

Reviewed 12/20/13 at Celebration North in Grand Rapids, MI

with Gary

4 out of 5 Js in QUIET Rating System

We saw a lot of previews on Saving Mr. Banks before going to see this. We both didn't expect to like it much, but we actually really loved it. It's a sweet story that will be enticing to the entire family. Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers, author of the book Mary Poppins, were fantastic. They worked so well together and had the appropriate chemistry. If Tom Hanks is in it, it's going to be good and this surpassed good in our opinion.

Walt Disney has been pursuing Travers for 20+ years to obtain the rights to her book, Mary Poppins. He wants to make it into an animated musical. She has been resistant, but her agent is advising the cash strapped author to at least consider Disney's offer. She travels to California with all the bells and whistles.

The story toggles back and forth between her two week visit in the wonderland and her childhood that is filled with sadness and memories she is trying not to relive. Her drunken father, played by Colin Farrell, leads to most of her disappointment. Travers' aunt enters the home to save the day as the nanny and household general to get everything back in order. But saving her father proves to be a task that could be impossible for anyone.

The pain from her childhood is the source of withholding the rights to her story and until the Disney staff, the Sherman brothers, break down her barriers she is as stubborn as a mule. Bantering back and forth between Travers and Disney provide some humorous scenes that you don't want to end. They are both adorable. We all know Mary Poppins was finally made, but the magic behind the film lead to one of the sweetest movies of the season, if not the year. If you just like shoot 'em ups or action movies like Thor, you might want to skip this. Gary and I both say go see this one right way and if you leave without using your Kleenex, then you better stick to Thor movies.

QUIET Rating system: 4  Js

Quality: JJJJ

Understood story:  JJJj

Interest: JJJJ

Entertainment:  JJJJ

Time:  JJJJ