Has its flaws but has quality in the design and delivery

Rating: Null/10 (8 June 2014)

I'm not sure how much of this film is actually true and how much of it is creative license for the sake of a good film, but I'm not too bothered because I doubt too many people come to this thinking they are watching anything other than a piece of light entertainment albeit with a basis in reality. The film concerns the making of the film Mary Poppins – a film that Mrs Travers, the author of the source material is very protective of and that Walt Disney is keen to make and make in a way that he knows will work and sell. Throughout the mostly gently comedic film, we get flashbacks to Travers' youth in Australia with her challenging situations, a fun-loving father and a distinctive house- keeper.
The film is delivered with a rather uneven tone but it is one that it mostly hangs together even if it never really becomes a great film. At its heart it is really sentimental, with a nostalgic and comedic air throughout; at the same time it seems to hint at elements which are factual, but the additions suggest a real push towards more of a warming and touching story. The flashbacks are part of this although the film never really has the depth that these suggest was being tried for. The film seems to be fine with this though and to be honest, so was I. I enjoyed it for its sentimentality and was grateful it didn't overdo it or push for tears or chuckles too heavily; it is a very nicely crafted film where you sort of feel the quality and, even though you can see what it is doing, you at least appreciate that it isn't doing it in a really cheap way.
This can be seen in many aspects – from the look of the film, the sets, the design and the whole tone but also in the performances. Hanks is nicely engaging and takes to his role well but it is Thompson that really brings the most to the film. Her crispness adds to the comedic element of course, but it is her delivery that, by reflection, makes the flashbacks work better than they would otherwise have done in terms of the formative aspects of the narrative and characters. Support is good from Whitford, Novak and Schwartzman, although I thought the film didn't really need Giamatti's character adding to the sentiment. In the flashbacks Farrell and Wilson both do well, and it is nice to see Griffiths in her small role.
Saving Mr. Banks is not a fantastic film but it is a gently entertaining and engaging one. It has its flaws for sure but it wears them well and has strengths that help cover them up; the end result is perhaps sentimental but it is not mawkish and I enjoyed it for its quality build and delivery.