Picture this. Hollywood sex symbol shrugs aside all glamor for a role as a struggling, heartbroken father living in a natural paradise, forced to take on the paternal duties he had been shunning for years after the loss of his wife. Oh, and he has one rebellious kid, and a younger, innocent, easily impressionable child in desperate need of emotional protection. It might sound like a story outline for The Descendants, but it's really the basic setup for We Bought A Zoo, Cameron Crowe's first film since the critical disappointment that was Elizabethtown, and it maintains his usual mix of optimism, teenage angst, and eclectic soundtracks. If Crowe lost his step a little six years ago, he's more than regained his footing, as We Bought A Zoo is the type of heart tugging, crowd pleasing family film not just perfect for this holiday season, but anytime you need a boost of pure joy.
Based on the memoir by Benjamin Mee, Damon and his affable charm play the journalist when he's at an emotional crossroads. The love of his life is gone, and in her place stand the two children who need him to put aside the grande adventures he's accustomed to, and settle down to be their father. With his career hitting the skids, and his eldest son Dylan(Colin Ford) in a tailspin, Benjamin does what seems like a good idea at first, which is pack up their things and start over somewhere else. But when the opportunity for another adventure arises in the form of a rundown old zoological park, Benjamin can't pass up buying it. It turns out to be much more than he ever could've bargained for, in every way that matters. When Rosie(Maggie Elizabeth Jones), his bubbly and curious 7-year old daughter shouts "We bought a zoo!", she does it with such unbridled joy it's impossible not to want to reach through the screen and hug her.
The zoo is in a serious state of disrepair, Benjamin is completely unprepared for the financial burdens that come with rebuilding it. Fortunately he has a little bit of help, thanks to a small, dedicated crew who stuck by the animals they came to love even as their paychecks dwindled. They're led by Kelly, played by Scarlett Johnansson, who continues to look and be her best when not set as a sexual object. We recognize Kelly instantly as Cameron Crowe's favorite type of female love interest. She's tough, whip smart, fiercely loyal, and completely unaware of how great she really is. The most knowledgeable member of the team, Kelly is Benjamin's guide to taking care of dozens of exotic animals, including a massive grizzly bear named Buster who has occasional bouts of depression. And then there's Spar, an aging tiger that forces Benjamin to confront his own feelings about loss.
This being a Cameron Crowe film, what would it be without a heaping helping of young love? Dylan, a fledgling artist who's sketches have taken a sinister turn, has become lost in the wake of his mother's death. Unable to process the feelings bubbling within him, he's turned his anger at Benjamin. But he finds at least a glimmer of hope for happiness when he meets Lily(Elle Fanning), Kelly's cheerful, innocent younger sister. For Fanning, it's a performance that differs wildly from what she gave us in Super 8. Lily is less assured, a hopeless romantic at heart, and falls hard for Dylan's rebellious loner routine. Their playful first steps into love are a total contrast to the measured, cautious flirtation between Benjamin and Kelly.Thomas Haden Church is excellent as the de facto comic relief, playing Benjamin's scrutinizing older brother, Duncan. He knows all too well what taking such a reckless gamble in the wake of tragedy can lead to, and would rather see his brother down his sorrows in hot women("ditch the zoo, keep Kelly") and a long trip to Vegas. The only character who doesn't feel completely authentic is John Michael Higgins' spiteful zoo inspector.
This is Damon's show, and as we've seen twice this year in The Adjustment Bureau and Contagion, he has an everyman charm that makes you want to cheer him on. He carries the bulk of the film's emotional heft, in particular when revisiting the pure happiness of his life with his wife, seen in flashback and still photos played by Stephanie Szostak. Crowe knows instinctively how to calibrate each of these heart tugging moments, emphasizing the tiny details that spark our memories of those we've loved and lost. Some of the film's finest are the quietest, when the people in the midst of this great human adventure stop and take stock of their surroundings.
In the past, Crowe can justifiably be accused of getting a little heavy handed with the sentimentality, bordering on schmaltz. Some will no doubt accuse of him of the same here. A film this lacking in cynicism, a film this genuinely hopeful is a rare breed nowadays. We Bought A Zoo is a nearly perfect feel good film with heart and soul to spare.
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