Review of We Bought a Zoo (2011) by Martin A — 31 Oct 2012

Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and lots of zoo animals make this movie reasonably interesting for me. The plot is about a now widowed father of two trying to adjust to life without his beloved wife, having to raise on his own now a teenage boy about to grow more and more distant from him and a little heartbroken girl lost in term of purpose. This man in his situation being a self-claimed adventurer decided irrationally to buy a zoo. The reason he offered, when pressed, is "Why not?".

He then managed to pour in money, hard work and dedication to this zoo awaiting approval for re-opening. He managed to pour in even more moeny he found accidentally in a sweatshirt his belated wife left behind. He put a little of interest and time into his son and used the drawing from his son to make a new logo. His brother who disagreed with his investment pulled in to feed the grizzley bear the day prior to the inspection, his son on his advice of "20 seconds of embarrassing courage" professed his love to the farm girl, the ultra-attractive zoo keeper kissed him on the opening day, and then he went back into the town to act out for his kids how he met their mother.

To examine what exactly happened in this film will lead to rather lame and disappointing conclusion, but to focus on the gems and the overall concept, "We Bought A Zoo" is a very warm, light-hearted and encouraging story about how to let go, to give and to share. It is therefore, quite a fresh tomato in my mind.