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• Currently 2/5 Stars.

Movies.ie Critic Review

WE BOUGHT A ZOO (USA/PG/124mins)

Directed by Cameron Crowe. Starring Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church, Colin Ford, Angus Macfadyen, Elle Fanning, Patrick Fugit, John Michael Higgins.

THE PLOT: Southern California, the present, and Damon’s Benjamin Mee is struggling to get over the recent death of his wife. Quitting his job as a journalist just as his 14-year old son gets expelling from school, Benjamin decides it’s time to move out to the country. Where he buys a zoo, much to his 7-year old daughter’s delight. Teaming up with head keeper Kelly (Johansson), and ignoring all the warnings from his brother (Haden Church), Benjamin throws himself into resurrecting the decrepit family attraction…

THE VERDICT: Originally slotted for release here at Christmas, this strange and strained family film from the increasingly suspect Cameron Crowe (possibly still reeling from 2005’s Elizabethtown, the film that propelled Orlando Bloom into oblivion) will be available at your local Tesco for €2 within six months. So, if part of you just wants to know what Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson might look like running a zoo together, you might want to employ a little more gratification delay. As you might expect from a former Rolling Stone journalist, the soundtrack is pretty damn fine though, Crowe once again collaborating with Sigur Ros’ Jonsi. RATING: 2/5

Review by Paul Byrne 

• Avg User rating
• Currently 2/5 Stars.

User Reviews

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  Marty hanratty

  

  Will the zoo survive? Will Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson fall in love? Will the angst ridden teenager get over his mother's loss? Will the little girl be cute beyond belief? You know the answers to all these questions before you even set foot in the cinema, but I kept hoping for something original to happen to set it apart from all the other similar family films. It didn't happen. Too saccharin sweet and predictable for my taste. I thought the acting was fine throughout, although a couple of people came across as a caricature (the zoo inspector and the long haired zoo employee who acted like a big muppet).

• • Currently 2/5 Stars.

  ssconnolly

  

  Not the worst film, but over the years we've come to expect better from Crowe. Despite being led by a strong cast and having a fairly charming the story, the film is ultimately too schmaltzy and fake to engage. It takes it over the top and the film could've benefited hugely from being less cheesy, and changing the cliched angst ridden characters substantially. The film definitely had potential, but Crowe doesn't find enough emotionality in the story and the film is just too schmaltzy to care about in the end. More likable characters, more serious problems and a bit more emotion and this could've been something special.

• • Currently 2/5 Stars.

  Jenfiction

  

  A bit TOO sweet and fluffy for my liking. Enjoyable enough but it's very slow and not a must-see. Nice family movie but with this cast and the story they had to work with, it should have been a lot better.

• • Currently 2/5 Stars.

  barber05

  

  Enjoyable movie.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  Onionhead

  

  The movie has animals, kids and fine acting from Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, but it lacks the emotional honesty and unpredictability that made Crowe's early films so irresistible.

• • Currently 2/5 Stars.

  marythemole

  

  Good family movie with a nice story.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  mart

  

  You have to admire the thoroughness with which We Bought a Zoo - which is the film Disney would make if they still knew how - caters to the whole family. You can literally see Bourne star Matt Damon enjoying himself at the centre of thisheartwarming family movie - and it will make all the difference to your appreciation of it, too.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  filmbuff2011

  

  After the disastrous Elizabethtown in 2005, Cameron Crowe returns to feature films with We Bought A Zoo. It's not exactly a return to form or a comeback though. It's based on the real-life story of Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon), a single father who uproots his family to take up residence in a small zoo. The zoo is running into financial difficulties, so everyone pulls together to get everything in order for the new opening day. In the meantime, Mee has to connect with his typically moody teenage son, love interest Scarlett Johansson and a boo-hissable park inspector. There's a bracing honesty to the scenes between Mee and his son, including a touching scene towards the end in a cafe. However, the film feels quite predictable and contrived, so it doesn't really feel like a true story. I'd imagine the real-life story isn't as coated in Hollywood magic dust. Despite its 2-hour-plus running time, it feels rather slight. If the film was an animal, it would be a giraffe rather than a tiger. All the same though, it's a pleasant enough watch, ideal for a matinee when you don't expect too much from a film.

• • Currently 3/5 Stars.

  clivebb

  

  Cameron Crowe he can do little right these days I am afraid. While this film was really enjoyable it just lacked a pit of a spark for me. My wife loved it and was very moved by it, me not so. Nice family story line but all very obvious at the same time. A good flick for Easter break just don't expect more that the trailor shows.