Movie Review: Saving Mr. Banks

Mary Poppins is a timeless classic whose charm and wonder has endured for generations, and somehow Saving Mr. Banks captured that to great effect, but in a different way. This was actually more than what I expected. It's rich and nicely crafted and it offered a well edited, weaving of past and present that seamlessly enhanced the movie. It somehow skillfully meshes a few stories together on the same theme, although I found some of the flashbacks slightly bloated and went on for too long. Oh, and Emma Thompson was wonderful on this film. She brought a lot of energy to a character that's strange and emotionally damaged. It was oddly fascinating to watch. Saving Mr. Banks wasn't perfect, but it's so intensely likable that it's hard to imagine someone not smiling at any point in the film. 8