We Bought a Zoo

I love it when filmmakers take a good and original true story and interpret it in an utterly beautiful and natural way that brings up a ton of emotions and by the end of the film it makes me feel truly amazing. Films like this are as scarce as grains for forest animals in the middle of desert. Well, that may be a stupid analogy. Simply there’s just very few of them. But still you can come across stories with happy endings that are worth watching. This one is really emotional, because it’s not only about a likable family, but also about the zoo, which instantly doubles the emotions. Matt Damon’s sincere expression throughout the whole film made me really happy. I wish there were more surprises like this and always something I could look forward to and be happy for others for a job well done. (13/05/2013)

A film that is not afraid to deliberately touch you, yet is perfectly optimistic and intentionally smiling with every thought and point. The whole group of teenagers, children, dedicated caretakers, and gazing animals could easily crumble into a meaningless family mess. But Cameron Crowe proved that he still has a firm hand in calming down turbulent emotions. A film for everyone. Literally. 90%. (04/04/2012)

A completely professionally made film (perfect editing, amazing cinematography, breathtaking sets...), which thanks to its "soft drink" script manages to attack the viewer's emotions quite indiscriminately at some moments. Fortunately, the whole thing actually feels on the whole quite natural and civil (mainly thanks to the excellent cast), and therefore there is no need to wonder if Cameron Crowe is just forcing your emotions or if the characters are so wonderfully written and acted that you just believe them all. What’s more, the story itself is so beautifully human that perhaps it must ultimately soften even otherwise purely cynical hearts. The ending is so very moving it's almost unwelcome :))) (28/10/2013)

Like Benjamin Mee, I don't know how to approach this now. So, I’ll take it one step at a time. The premise was okay, and I didn't have the slightest problem with it. Compassion and love for animals (as long as it remains purely platonic) are definitely a good thing. On the other hand, I have a problem with the way these values were presented. It was a family film, so I knew there were going to be moral lessons. They didn’t even feel out of place. It could have been a decent film if it hadn’t been turned into a huge nostalgic emotional wringer and sacrificed everything else to that end. I’ve been a fan of Scarlett Johansson ever since The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001). I was all the more annoyed by the character she portrayed here. I’m sure there are people who will share all their problems, issues, and failures with you five minutes after you meet them. I just don't want to meet them. It was all so uncomfortable to watch; the constant reminiscing about the wife, the dying tiger, the troubled teenager. It was just cheap, and it must have been obvious to everyone what ending the film was heading towards. No, the film wasn’t enjoyable and I’m glad it's over. / Lesson learned: Teaching a beast to give a paw might not be a good idea. (14/09/2022)

Yeah, why not? Why not, for once in your short life, take your own path full of bumps, where even your loved ones will lose their sense of security? Why not believe in something that others would never hope for? Why not throw away past traumas and start again? We Bought a Zoo has an unoriginal story that as a whole ends in the most unexpected way, but I absorbed the varied and beautiful flavours and feelings contained in the individual scenes, the sweetly humorous dialogue, and the overall mood and motivational atmosphere of the film with as much joy as a kiss emoji from my crush (yeah, I wish she would actually think of me at least once a month). A small film, but with a big heart and a haunting last line that almost brought tears to my eyes. 75% (22/11/2015)