Sitting on the barn floor with his 14-year-old son Dylan (angst plagued Colin Ford), who fears taking a chance on a pretty girl Lily (sweet hearted Elle Fanning), Benjamin Mee (resolute Matt Damon) implores, “Sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane courage. And I promise you, something great will come of it.”
Director and Writer Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” is about the courage to take a risk and follow your heart. Matt Damon is powerful and sublime. Crowe wrote the funny and poignant screenplay with Aline Brosh McKenna (“The Devil Wears Prada”) based on the book by Benjamin Mee. Yes, this is based on the true story of the Mee family, who bought a home with a zoo in Southern California. “We Bought a Zoo” is wonderful surprise. I was touched by its humanity, the authenticity of loss, and the celebration of life. Colin Ford is amazing as the dour teen Dylan, who transforms– creating new beginnings and his life.
Crowe is poetic in catharsis. Lily asks her cousin zoologist Kelly (brightly intense Scarlett Johansson), “If you were to choose: animals or people?” The socially clumsy Kelly answers with a beaming smile. Crowe and McKenna’s metaphor is about the people we love. Matt Damon is understatedly bold as widower Benjamin, who veers orthogonally in life in an attempt to forget the loss of the great love of his life, Katherine (beautiful Stephanie Szostak), only to be reminded of her in everything– including the fate of an ailing tiger. This is not so far-fetched, and endearingly human. Benjamin can’t even have lunch with his older accountant brother Duncan (ironically fostering Thomas Haden Church) at any restaurant associated with his memories of Katherine.
Damon is Benjamin, a fearless adventure newspaper columnist, at the crossroads of his life. When we first meet him, he is rushing his kids Rosie (precociously cute Maggie Elizabeth Jones) and Dylan (sullen Ford) to school. Mom passed away less than a year ago. Rosie doesn’t completely grasp the aftermath. Dylan channels his anger and fear in his macabre Gothic art exemplified in the drawing of propelling bloody decapitated head in a school display, which gets him expelled. Troubled Dylan demonstrates genuine talent, albeit clinically disturbing. Dad prefers Benjamin instead of Ben, which was his Dad’s distinction. In an exit scene vaguely reminiscent of Crowe’s “Jerry Maguire”, Benjamin quits his job. Consequently, the Mee’s look for a new home. One home resonates with Benjamin, and it houses an entire zoo. Rosie immediately falls in love with it. Jones’s face captures the wondrous enchantment of a 6-year-old. Here Damon is amazing as he witnesses the joy of Rosie, and his entire world alters. Dylan, on the other hand, thinks this is crazy—not what he wants. Crowe reveals his story with ease, grace and humor.
Along with the Zoo, Benjamin inherits the Zoo Staff. Their leader is impatient and unwavering Kelly Foster (Johansson). If Benjamin chooses to proceed, they have to prepare for an inspection by July, by the beyond anal retentive Walter Ferris (comically humorless John Michael Higgins). Inevitably, this will cost Benjamin his family inheritance—something Duncan (Church) vigorously reminds. Honestly, Kelly can’t figure whether Benjamin is the naïve savior or the well-intentioned fool? I found Johansson refreshingly strong and no-nonsense. This is the most transparent I’ve seen her in a role—it is awesome. Obviously, she is the possible romantic interest, but she keeps us guessing. Similarly, Elle Fanning (Dakota’s younger sister) is clearly smitten by brooding Dylan, although he is too self-absorbed to know what’s up. She is the young soul full of light and life.
Damon is the brilliant nexus of “We Bought a Zoo”. He embodies powerful gravitas and grace as a man completing the past and boldly expanding into the unknown. There is a heart-wrenching scene where he argues with Dylan about the family and Rosie. Benjamin’s children remind him of the best in his late wife. And Dylan ironically reminds Benjamin of both the worst and best of himself. Again, this is not a bad thing—simply a human thing. In the eloquent fade away, Damon along with Ford and Jones touchingly remind us that all it takes is 20 seconds of insane courage.
Life goes on.
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Photo credit: Shutterstock, modified