Emma Thompson delivers some of the best acting of the year, joined by the always charming Tom Hanks in role he was practically born to play, in a film that reminds you about the magical joy of movies, particularly Disney movies.
Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of the notoriously difficult time Disney had in adapting P.L. Travers’s novel Mary Poppins into a film. All of this takes place in 1961, and the film does a great job of transporting the audience to that time (something I’ve noted previously that I always enjoy and appreciate). It has been years since I’ve seen the classic Disney logo, and I have to admit it a refreshing wave of nostalgia watched over me as soon as the movie began because of it. In addition, seeing classic Disney characters/toys pleased my inner child. I was also impressed at how they were able to recreate Disneyland itself as it would have looked in the ’60s. But as stated earlier, all of this revolves around the classic Disney film Mary Poppins, and a lot of the nostalgia comes from that. I remember loving this film as a child, though I did, even as a kid, notice some dark moments and themes in it (though they were always overshadowed by “Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious” and Dick Van Dyke dancing with animated penguins).
Speaking of which, the music is classic and still memorable to this day, and hearing it being created and discussed and almost shot down, was great to hear. Also, geniusly, the soundtrack has some alternate arrangements of classic Disney songs, not just from Mary Poppins either. Seeing actual storyboards and sketches for the film was also mesmerizing, and certainly added authenticity to the film. In addition, be sure to stick around a bit after the credits to hear the actual tapes from the meetings Travers had with the Disney crew, it’s pretty awesome (and shows you how well the actors did in recreating those moments).
The film also smartly interweaves the tragic back story of P. L. Travers with the troublesome production meetings for the film. After seeing everything that Travers went through, it makes you appreciate the film that came out of those struggles so much more; I’ll never see the film the same way again!
But where this film truly shines is in it’s incredible cast and the phenomenal acting they provide for the film. Emma Thompson does an absolutely incredible job bringing the bitter, angry, jaded P. L. Travers to life. Every sour look and every nasty remark was both painful yet funny to watch on screen. And there’s no better joy than watching her slowly crack into the saccharine magic of Disney, and to finally realize at the end how beautiful her story can be when put in the right hands. This brings me to the wonderful job done by both B.J. Novak (yes, the guy from The Office) and Jason Schwartzman as the musical geniuses behind the film, the Sherman brothers. They have such a great chemistry with each other and actually seem like blood brothers. The way they sing with such enthusiasm, despite Travers obvious disapproval, is inspiring and fun to watch. They, along with Don DaGradi (played very well by Bradley Whitford), make a great team, doing simply what Disney asked them to do in a room with a woman who despises just about all of those ideas. Seeing them struggle to keep their cool in front of such an unruly woman is a delight to watch. Which brings us to Disney himself, played remarkably by Tom Hanks. Hanks does a great job showing us a side of Disney we never really saw, a frustrated and very assertive side that occasionally smokes and drinks to calm down. But of course, we also see the side of Disney we all know and love, a man who simply wants to show everyone the magic he sees in things. Seeing him interact with Travers is an interesting love/hate relationship that is so much fun to watch on screen.
Props also have to be given to Paul Giamatti, who plays Travers’s driver Ralph. Though his role is fairly minimal, he has a big impact on the film the few times he is on. His character is so genuine and sweet, and having that once again paired with such a sour woman, is jarring at first, but makes the evolution of their relationship that much more fun to watch. Finally, Colin Farrell does a sensational job as Travers Goff, father of P. L. Travers. His character is complex, a wonderful caring father who has his own demons that he deals with in unwise ways. Seeing him essentially play two characters, and play them so well, made the back story of P. L. Travers so powerful and emotionally-charged.
FINAL DIAGNOSIS: 9/10
This is certainly one of the best movies of the year thanks to it’s incredible cast who all act superbly. It shows another side of a Disney classic, and in doing so reminds us what made that movie, and what makes all movies (particularly Disney films) so magical and powerful. Don’t be surprised to see some Oscar buzz at the very least for Emma Thompson, if not for some of the other great acting in the film. If you love Mary Poppins, Disney, or filmmaking in general, you absolutely must see this film!
Dr. A's Diagnoses 