See This Movie!

Rating: 10/10 (30 December 2013)

Spoiler Alert: Enjoy the movie first fig you don't want to be sullied by another's opinion.
Supposedly there are some scenes in this movie that are not factual but it makes no difference. Emma Thompson as Mrs. Travers, author of Mary Poppins, is a once in a lifetime role. She's believable, mercurial and develops the character in such a professional way that her performance is seamless. The last time an actress did so well with a character was Meryl Streep's portrayal of Julia Child. Work like Thompson's make sitting though "Percy Jackson" and "Gravity" worth the wait.
This movie is simply great. The script is enlightening with just enough inside baseball to satisfy the cognizant without offending those who miss the jokes. John Lee Hancock's direction of all the principals was masterful. The movie felt like 1960's LA and both costuming and production design were excellent.
Hanks is Hanks. It hard for him to clam a role. But compared to Thompson, he's a little wooden. Even in scenes where he was trying to convince Travers to come back to LA after she had bolted back to England over script conflicts and trust him with the movie there was a lack of sincerity. Hanks missed the boat. Also, Disney, for all his flaws, had a spark and childlike enthusiasm. Hanks missed both or possibly just didn't deliver them in a way that would communicate.
The Sherman brothers were cartoonish dull but that's to be expected. They played well and were believable. Bradly Whitford as DaGradi was a standout. His frustrations and his overcoming of the same was a real high point. It was fun to watch him work through a bunch of conflicting emotions to "sell" musical concepts to Travers.
This is more than a story about the making of a movie. It is the story of a woman dealing with real-life demons and overcoming the same. Bullock tried this in "Gravity" with no success. Here Thompson delivers in a way that brings a tear to all but the most cynical and unfeeling. Her scene during the premiere reminds one of Glenn Closes makeup removal scene in "Dangerous Liaisons." This is powerful, meaningful acting that is a delight to see. If only there were more roles written for mature actresses we might be in for some real treats.
Paul Giamatti stayed in character as Traver's driver and his story about a crippled daughter was delivered with confidence and structure. It was believable. But he has long since proved a talented actor capable of any number of roles. Disney's secretaries both delivered stellar performances. They deadpanned through scenes and added just the right amount of secretarial oversight and tension.
M10. If you see nothing else, see this movie!