Absolutely wonderful, a must watch!

Rating: 7/10 (23 January 2014)

Saving Mr. Banks is extraordinary and impeccably "Disney". It is charmingly funny, heart touching and a beautiful story giving insights into the creation of Mary Poppins. I was not expecting to like this movie to this extent, but as it progressed I was immersed and completely awe struck. The weaving of the past and present was beautifully executed and brought authenticity to the story also justifying the hardened exterior of Mrs. Travers in the film. As for the characters, Tom Hanks, Collin Farrell and Emma Thompson were marvelous. If anyone could bring Walt Disney's personality to life, it was definitely Tom Hanks in saving Mr. Banks. Although we did not see as much of his personality as we saw Mrs.Travers', I found him to impersonate the role rather well. Even though Mrs. Travers is portrayed to be difficult and unable to be pleased, we continue to love and sympathize with her. We understand her need to project her father positively despite his setbacks. Mrs. Travers loves her father endlessly and in many ways wants so desperately for her real life to have had an alternate ending. When Walt Disney provides this to her through the film, she is relieved and finally pleased. For the first time at the end of the film we see her be able to peacefully come to terms with her past without feeling like she has disappointed her father. At the end of the film we see Mrs. Travers empowered by her emotions as she has finally seen a portrayal of her father in a way that she had always desired and imagined, but in many ways had also been the way she saw him despite his flaws that we see during her troubled childhood. She did not see her father as a cruel man and wanted to conserve her image of him in every way she could. Walt Disney provided her with an alternate and more hopeful ending to her troubles and reality. As a storyteller he attempted to "restore order with imagination, instilling hope again and again" (slightly paraphrased). I have not mentioned Mary Poppins at all, as this is the story of how the film came to life. The main focus in this film is mainly on the relationship between Mrs. Travers and her father, between Walt and Mrs. Travers and between Mrs. Travers and the ever so personal and imaginative world created through her book. Mary Poppins is in essence a savior and an idea of hope, a hope that Mrs. Travers/Helen had as a child of saving her father and the very hopefulness that was regained through Disney's film, Mary Poppins. Overall, I absolutely loved this film because of the characters, the story being told and everything about it. I love that the film is about hope and attaining it through imaginative and creative ways. I would definitely recommend this film to everyone!