Benjamin Mee (Damon) is a Los Angeles newspaper columnist and adventure writer who, as a single father, faces the challenges of raising his two young children. Hoping that a fresh start and a new life will restore their family spirit, Mee quits his job and buys an old rural house outside the city with a unique bonus feature: a zoo named the Rosemoor Animal Park, where dozens of animals reside under the care of head zookeeper Kelly Foster (Johansson) and her dedicated team. With no experience, limited time and a shoestring budget, Mee sets out with the support of his family and the local community to reopen the zoo. Now, Benjamin is no longer reporting an adventure story; he’s living it in his own backyard.
When you’re a parent, movie watching takes on a whole new level. Violence seems to become a hundred times more gory and realistic. Curse words sound louder, ring in your ears, and suddenly seem to be every other word a person says on screen. And don’t get me started on how even flirting doesn’t seem so innocent anymore. I’ve taken to watching anything rated above G on mute, with subtitles, in the middle of the night and it’s probably more so for my piece of mind than anything Sonshine really could get from a movie. So, in my crazy protective self induced state, I am always looking for a great family movie we all can enjoy.
We Bought a Zoo is one of those movies that fits the bill. I found it to be a perfect blend of whimsy and innocence for Sonshine and adult centered ideas and situations that did not make me uncomfortable to have my kid in the room. The movie is based on the book ‘We Bought a Zoo’ written by Benjamin Mee, based on his true life experience purchasing Dartmoor Zoo. Direct Cameron Crowe (Jerry Maguire & Almost Famous) brings the zoo to life as Rosemoor Animal Park set in Southern California. After the loss of his wife, Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) moves his two young children, Dylan (Colin Ford, voice of Disney’s Jake from Jake & the Neverland Pirates) and Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) into a home nestled inside a rundown, financially stricken zoo. Along with other stars, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, and Patrick Fugit to round out the small cast, I think all the charm would have been lost with any other castings.
The youngest stars of the movie really pushed it forward for me. Maggie Elizabeth Jones just brought a child’s innocence that cannot be faked to her role. Colin Ford’s portrayal of a young boy on the edge of becoming a young man while feeling lost without his mother and abandoned by his father was both heart wrenching and heart warming. I also found myself more aware of his scenes and always cheering him on. And I don’t think it’s because I’m a mother to one little boy. As usual, Elle Fanning hits her character right on the head and delivers a charming tween so in love, it’ll make you think back to your first real crush.
My favorite scene is when Benjamin and Dylan finally sit down and talk. It’s probably the most relatable scenes as a parent in the whole movie with some fantastic advice from Mr. Mee.
“Sometimes, all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just
literally, twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise,
something great will come along.”
