Review of We Bought a Zoo (2011) by Scott L — 17 Apr 2013
"We Bought a Zoo" is a respectable, but too typical, Hollywood family film.
***.
Big fan of Cameron Crowe here. "Say Anything" and "Almost Famous" are two of my all time favorites. Full well knowing "We Bought a Zoo" was a family film, I found that it had its ups and downs. Most of the downs being based in predictability.
Let me say that I'm not a big fan of the whole "if you believe in something hard enough, you can do it" mindset. Unfortunately, that's where "We Bought a Zoo" falls. There are no serious repercussions for spontaneously buying and managing a zoo! Seriously. Money at one point virtually falls in the main character's - Benjamin - lap and that's how he can afford to keep it open. Other than acknowledging their existence, there are no setbacks.
It's basically too happy. In fact, when the movie was at its best, Benjamin is struggling with the decision whether or not to put its beloved elderly tiger down. That's when the emotions feel raw and real. Everything else is too textbook from the wise-beyond-her-years daughter, to the rebellious teenage son, and manufactured romance.
This "too happy" tone wouldn't be a problem if it were a happy story. It's a bittersweet story at best - where one finds acceptance following bereavement. But I acknowledge the effort from Crowe. It's not too much of a sugary story and the actors aren't cloying at all. A few tweaks to the telling could have just made it less...Hollywood.
This review of We Bought a Zoo (2011) was written by Scott L on 17 Apr 2013.
We Bought a Zoo has generally received positive reviews.
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