Christopher Robin wants to be a gentle reminder of childhood, and mostly succeeds. The 2018 film, directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy and Allison Schroeder, follows the grown-up version of the Hundred Acre Wood hero as he loses touch with his imagination. Ewan McGregor plays the title character, and Jim Cummings returns as both Winnie the Pooh and Tigger, with Brad Garrett as Eeyore and Nick Mohammed as Piglet. The rest of the ensemble includes Hayley Atwell as Evelyn, Peter Capaldi as Rabbit, Sophie Okonedo as Kanga, Sara Sheen as Roo and Toby Jones as Owl.
Trailer, via Disney UK.
Christopher Robin Loses His Way
The film opens with a farewell party for young Christopher Robin, who promises Winnie the Pooh he will never forget him. That promise is broken fast. School, war, marriage and a job at Winslow Luggages in London all chip away at his sense of wonder. By the time Pooh shows up in London to find him, Christopher has become a man who carries a compass and a briefcase full of papers.
McGregor plays the adult Christopher with a weary resignation that lands well. He is not a villain, just a man who has forgotten how to play. Atwell anchors the human side of the story as Evelyn, a loving wife whose patience runs thin as her husband disappears into work. The chemistry between them gives the film its emotional center.
Pooh Finds His Friend Again
Pooh’s journey into London is the heart of the film. He walks through a door that Christopher normally comes out of, and finds himself in a world he does not understand. The animation holds up well against the live-action backgrounds, and the contrast between the bright wood and the gray city is effective. Cummings gives Pooh the same gentle, bumbling performance that made him a familiar presence across the franchise.
The film leans on its ensemble to carry the weight of the story. Brad Garrett’s Eeyore is particularly strong, delivering a mournful deadpan that fits the character perfectly. Nick Mohammed’s Piglet is nervous and loyal, and Peter Capaldi’s Rabbit is pompous and amusing. Sophie Okonedo and Sara Sheen bring warmth to Kanga and Roo, while Toby Jones’s Owl provides comic relief with his overwrought explanations.
The Fog and the Heffalump
The plot thickens when Christopher falls into a Heffalump trap, which floods with rainwater. He is separated from Pooh in the fog and must pretend to defeat the Heffalump to prove his identity. The moment is tense, and the reveal that the supposed danger is the squeaking of a rusty, fallen weather vane from Owl’s house is a clever twist.
“Sooner or later, your past catches up to you.”
That tagline sums up the film’s central idea: Christopher’s past catches up with him in the form of Pooh and the others, reminding him of a simpler time. The film uses the Hundred Acre Wood as a stand-in for nostalgia, and the characters represent different aspects of childhood: Pooh’s joy, Eeyore’s melancholy, Piglet’s fear, and Rabbit’s anxiety.
A Familiar Formula
Christopher Robin follows a familiar template for films about grown-ups rediscovering their inner child. The adult world is shown as cruel and exhausting, while the fantasy world is warm and welcoming. This is not a new story, but the execution is solid enough to justify it.
The film’s biggest weakness is its middle stretch. The period scenes, which show Christopher’s military service and his rise at Winslow Luggages, feel like padding. They are necessary to explain why he has forgotten his friends, but they slow down the momentum. The film is at its best when Pooh is on screen, and at its weakest when it focuses on Christopher’s adult life.
The Numbers Behind the Film
- Director: Marc Forster
- Screenplay writers: Alex Ross Perry, Tom McCarthy, Allison Schroeder
- Lead actor: Ewan McGregor
- Voice cast: Jim Cummings (Winnie the Pooh/Tigger), Brad Garrett (Eeyore), Nick Mohammed (Piglet)
- Release date: August 3, 2018 (United States)
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy
- Budget: not specified
- Box office: $197.7 million worldwide
The film’s production history is notable. Plans for a live-action adaptation were announced in April 2015, and Forster was confirmed as director in November 2016. McGregor signed on in April 2017, and principal photography began in August 2017 in the United Kingdom, wrapping in November.
What Works and What Doesn’t
The film’s strengths are its performances and its animation. McGregor and Cummings share a natural chemistry that makes their reunion believable. The voice actors deliver their lines with energy and personality, and the animation is polished enough to hold its own against the live-action shots.
The film’s weaknesses are its pacing and its reliance on a tired formula. The Winslow Luggages storyline drags, and the climax, which involves Christopher presenting his layoff plan to his boss Giles Winslow Jr., feels rushed. The film also leans heavily on its tagline, repeating the idea that the past will catch up to you throughout its runtime.
Christopher Robin is a pleasant, if unambitious, addition to the Winnie the Pooh franchise. It is not a groundbreaking film, but it is a comforting one. The performances are strong, the animation is polished, and the message about the value of imagination is delivered with sincerity.
The film’s ending brings Christopher back to the Hundred Acre Wood, where he apologizes to Pooh and the others for forgetting them. It is a fitting conclusion, even if the journey there is somewhat uneven. The film earns its place as a family-friendly watch, but it does not demand a second look beyond that.
Christopher Robin is a modest success. It is not a great film, but it is a good one, and it respects the characters that have delighted generations of children. The Hundred Acre Wood remains a magical place, and Pooh remains a lovable friend, even when he is a cartoon in a live-action world.
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