Saving Mr. Banks (12/13/2013)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images.

Starring Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Bradley Whitford, Paul Giamatti, Jason Schwartzman and B.J. Novak

Director John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side, The Alamo and The Rookie)

No sugar needed here, Saving Mr. Banks is pure joy.

When Walt Disney’s daughters begged him to make a movie of their favorite book, P.L. Travers’ “Mary Poppins,” he made them a promise—one that he didn’t realize would take 20 years to keep. In his quest to obtain the rights, Walt comes up against a curmudgeonly, uncompromising writer who has absolutely no intention of letting her beloved magical nanny get mauled by the Hollywood machine. But, as the books stop selling and money grows short, Travers reluctantly agrees to go to Los Angeles to hear Disney’s plans for the adaptation.

For those two short weeks in 1961, Walt Disney pulls out all the stops. Armed with imaginative storyboards and chirpy songs from the talented Sherman brothers, Walt launches an all-out onslaught on P.L. Travers, but the prickly author doesn’t budge. He soon begins to watch helplessly as Travers becomes increasingly immovable and the rights begin to move further away from his grasp.

It is only when he reaches into his own childhood that Walt discovers the truth about the ghosts that haunt her, and together they set Mary Poppins free to ultimately make one of the most endearing films in cinematic history.

First of all, Saving Mr. Banks is a beautifully crafted film. There are some great comedic moments that will have you laughing and then there are very touching scenes that will have you fighting back the tears.

Secondly, there are some outstanding performances by Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. These two play Mrs. Travers, the cantankerous and stubborn lady and Walt Disney himself. Without question they to make the film.

However the stand-out performance is, surprisingly, delivered by Colin Farrell as Mrs. Travers’ father. He brings amazing range and emotion to a character that is both a loving father and a man battling personal demons.

The story of how this classic film was made is almost as entertaining as Mary Poppins itself. I loved the glimpse into “old Hollywood” as well as the pictures that scrolled during the credits.

I was expecting a great film, and I was not disappointed. Saving Mr. Banks is “Worth Buying.”

SHOULD KIDS SEE IT?
I was a little surprised by the mature themes in this film…this is not Mary Poppins. Younger viewers will have difficulty with issues like addiction to alcohol, abuse, suicide and others. Most teenagers will be fine.

CONVERSATION STARTER:

1. Redemption is a theme throughout this movie. What does redemption mean?


2. Who were some of the characters that were redeemed? How?


3. Read Ephesians 1:7-8
   
   In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.
   
   How did God redeem us?


4. How did the characters change because of their redemption?


5. How should our lives change because of our redemption?