Big Screen Blurb: We Bought a Zoo

What else is an adventurer to do? Why not buy a zoo? Okay, so he's not really an adventurer per se...more of a journalist whose writing has often bordered on the adventurous. But, come on, it's not really a zoo. At least not yet. So, why buy a zoo? Why not?

Meet Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon). He just lost his wife to illness. He's now a clueless father of two who is equally clueless about fitting into life as a single father. There's Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones). She's five-ish and Benjamin's staple. Then there's Dylan (Colin Ford). He's more like a staple remover. Dylan is 14 and has an uncanny knack for trouble, struggling grades and drawings of disfigurement. He's just been expelled. As it turns out, his expulsion is a golden nugget of a last straw for ole Benjamin. He decides to move the family and make a fresh start. Actually, he decides to take his life savings and create a fresh start in a lion's pit...well, it's actually a zoo. That's right, 40+ species of animal-lovin' goodness that Rosie loves and Dylan fights tooth-and-nail.

The zoo is struggling to re-open. It's makeshift staff  includes Kelly (Scarlett Johansson), Robin (Patrick Fugit) and Lily (Elle Fanning) to name just a few. All, including Benjamin and Rosie, are working toward the common goal of opening in July with a zoo that is completely up to code. Of course, that is something that Inspector Ferris (John Michael Higgins) would rather not see. Yadayadayada the crew works to overcome an ark full of obstacles while the family attempts to heal from its loss and right their own ship...uhh, I mean ark.

It's good--check that, it's GREAT! I'll go with 4.5 Stars on this one. We Bought a Zoo is that good. It's a complex formula of 'funny' and 'heart-felt life reality' (it's based on a true story, ya know) with plenty of great animals...and let's face it; I'm one who has the "I like the humans, but I love the animals" atttitude.

All things considered, this flick really touched me on a lot of levels. Yes, it was fun. Yes, I loved the animals; but it was far more reaching. I think We Bought a Zoo really spoke to me because I see so much of my childhood through Dylan's eyes. No, I never got kicked out of school; nor was I talented in desolate drawing. I did, however, deal with the same type of issues he was experiencing. As an adult, I have since been able to see that situation more empathetically through my Dad's eyes, which was something I wasn't able to do at 15.

This movie really brought many of those issues to light, which came to a crucindo in a very powerful scene between Damon and Ford. Perhaps the scene was so effective to me, because I had experienced so much of what they had--zoo aside. Maybe it was just a damn good scene. Regardless, powerful performances meet ab inspirational story that I highly recommend for big screen viewing. Go and go BIG on this one.

True...OUT!