The wonderful, heart-warming story of a man who started his life anew after the loss of his wife, showing the account of his marvelous adventures renovating a rundown zoo and invigorating the lives of his children. A refreshing and courageous tale that manages to win you over from the very beginning, proving that there is hope of sunshine in life even after bereavement.
Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon) is an adventure writer, but after the recent loss of his wife, his world has turned into a dark and hopeless cave of memories. Wherever he goes, he is always reminded of his wife and the many moments they shared together. His son is also having a hard time dealing with the loss, showing his grief through his somewhat gruesome artwork. He is ultimately expelled from school, causing Benjamin to search for another outlet for his family. He decides to move away from the city where he is constantly reminded of his wife, and start a new chapter of his life for not only his sake but his children's sake too. They happen to stumble upon an enormous country estate that happens to encompass a struggling zoo that needs a sufficient amount of help to get back on track. In hopes of making his kids' lives happier and livelier, he doesn't hold back on the opportunity to purchase the land and that's where his unforgettable adventure begins. He meets the small group of people who run the zoo including Kelly (Scarlett Johansson), who has witnessed many of the workers quitting while herself staying loyal to the zoo, sacrificing her personal life and enduring financial struggles. She is at first skeptical as to what Ben's true motives are for buying the zoo, but soon enough realizes that maybe he doesn't want to sabotage the zoo but rather bring it back to life. By buying this zoo, Benjamin bites off more than he can chew, yet on the other hand he is nurturing his broken heart and mending the lives of everyone around him as well.
The story no doubt brings back the winning charm of director Cameron Crowe and the realistic battles that his characters bring to the big screen. Matt Damon brings one of his most impressive performances to date, embodying the character of a real life person who has faced an arduous situation much like this. The scene that struck a nerve with most viewers would probably be his confrontation with his son at the new house. The frustration and genuineness of that scene was a turning point for both of them since their terrible loss of both a mother and a wife. I liked however that the tension was eased at the end of their verbal diarrhea by a humorous request. A climactic moment of distress can't always end in laughter, and the scene was skillfully crafted to evoke such contrasting feelings with the least amount of effort or strain. The cinematography was executed beautifully, delivering the raw and warm colors of the country as well as the town they lived in previously. Scarlett Johansson was great in her role as Kelly, delivering long monologues to the peak of perfection, but Matt Damon's performance is unmatched when it comes to this film. It was refreshing to see her play a down to earth character who is modest as opposed to the blonde bombshells that she is known for playing. The whole cast had a sort of meshed together attitude, making the focus of the film their holistic approach to restoring the zoo and I think that's a great feeling to experience during the span of the movie.
Throughout the film there are quite a few parallels drawn between the animals and the people. The bear named Buster, who wants to be a free spirit can relate to Benjamin's imprisonment in the city where all he sees is his wife; and his ultimate chance of expanding Buster's enclosure giving him the opportunity to roam a wider area is the interpretation of Benjamin's move to the country in order to let go of his insecurities about Katherine's death. As a result of moving to a place that has a zoo, Benjamin pours his heart and soul into its re-opening while still letting Katherine be his guardian angel who guides him in his decisions. Spar the tiger, who has a number of health issues could symbolize the pain and anguish that Benjamin has been going through since his wife's death and the decision to put him down finally means that he has somewhat let go of the past and ready to move on in his life. The opening of the zoo is his victory in defeating his inner demons and restoring his relationship with his son. Of course he will never forget Katherine and what she has given to him while she was here on Earth, but he had to manifest it upon himself that she is gone and he and his children are still there. There is no way out, but there is a way forward that can still honor her existence and at the same time, let other people into their lives to produce a positive impact.
The story shows that with a strength of a family, anything is possible and all you have to do is believe that life is an adventure with high waves, hazardous roads and of course rays of sunshine. I believe a lot of people who have lost a loved one, can look back on this film in an inspiring way. Poignant as a situation may be for anyone with such an experience, I hope that this film will remind them of the bigger picture and let them know they are not alone. Perseverance and hope in life is the remedy for your difficult circumstance.
Overall, a very memorable film although quite sad for a Christmas release. I enjoyed it very much and I hope you will too. I also congratulate everyone from the actors to the crew for taking part and completing a fine piece of cinema which is sure to elicit a fire in anyone's soul.
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