The Christian Broadcasting Network

Saving Mr. Banks movie

Popcorn Rating

Movie Info

RATING:

PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images

GENRE:

Drama, Biography

RELEASE:

December 20, 2013

STARRING:

Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell, Bradley Whitford, Paul Giamatti, Annie Rose Buckley, Ruth Wilson, B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman

DIRECTOR:

John Lee Hancock

DISTRIBUTOR:

Walt Disney Pictures

More on this movie at IMDb.com

More Christian movie reviews

Get the latest on Hollywood Insight: A Christian Movie Blog

Please Note:
In providing movie reviews on our site, CBN.com is not endorsing or recommending films we review. Our goal is to provide Christians with information about the latest movies, both the good and the bad, so that our readers may make an informed decision as to whether or not films are appropriate for them and their families.
CHRISTIAN MOVIE REVIEW

Review: Saving Mr. Banks

By Hannah Goodwyn
Senior Producer


CBN.com - There's a story behind every story. Saving Mr. Banks' plotline follows the relationship between the author P.L. Travers and Walt Disney as he tries to convince her to let him make a movie about her beloved storybook character, Mary Poppins.

One of the best films of 2013, Saving Mr. Banks is "practically perfect in every way". It stars the incomparable Emma Thompson as Travers and Tom Hanks as Disney. Their performances engage you from the first scenes on through to the ending credits.

THE MOVIE IN A MINUTE

For 20 years, Walt Disney has tried to convince P.L. Travers to give him the film rights to her popular novel, Mary Poppins. Determined to make the movie, as he promised to his two daughters years ago, Disney again reaches out to Travers, having her flown to Los Angeles to finalize the deal and start pre-production. Uncompromising Ms. Travers isn't having it though. Every step of the way she puts up a roadblock for Disney to face. Her sentimentality for her beloved story clashes with his child-like desire to have Poppins sing and dance on the big screen.

THE GOOD AND BAD IN SAVING MR. BANKS

You will not look at the flying nanny the same again. And that's a good thing. Saving Mr. Banks shines a light on how Travers' troubled childhood and relationship with her alcoholic father shaped the popular character's story.

Thompson and Hanks as the two leads give outstanding performances. With an exceptional supporting cast including the talented Paul Giamatti, Saving Mr. Banks leaps off the screen and into your heart. You'll laugh and cry, and sing along. Its message of the power of hope, joy and forgiveness reaches deep.

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including some unsettling images, Saving Mr. Banks is for pre-teen moviegoers and older. It's worth mentioning that at the beginning of the movie Travers' home office contains spiritual elements, including a Buddha statue and a nod to the author's interest in awaking her consciousness. The flashbacks show Travers' father drinking a lot of alcohol, and one character is shown to have a large number of pill bottles, suggesting a dependence on medications.

IN THE END

In a word, Saving Mr. Banks is magical.

For more reviews like this one, sign up to receive CBN.com's Entertainment email update.


Hannah GoodwynHannah Goodwyn serves as the Entertainment producer for CBN.com. For more articles and information, visit Hannah's bio page.

E-mail me!

Log in or create an account to post a comment.  



CBN IS HERE FOR YOU!
Are you seeking answers in life? Are you hurting?
Are you facing a difficult situation?

A caring friend will be there to pray with you in your time of need.