Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)

"I'm Billy Moon! And I'll Be Back Soon!!!!."

Goodbye Christopher Robin

PG

106min

Starring Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly MacDonald and Will Tilston.

Wow.

Just, wow. What a beautiful film from start to finish. For starters, Frank Cottrell-Boyce's script is magnificent and adds to the true emotional depth of magnitude the narrative undegoes, and the line delivery from everyone involved was spectacular.

Domhnall Gleeson shines as A.A Milne, as his character is so well portrayed and written to fit the screen here, the numerous PTSD flashbacks were done so sensibly and so wonderfully executed. He was absolutely fizzing with greatness from the opening to the very end, effortlessly done by Gleeson.

Although Gleeson's character is very much at the main forefront, Margot Robbie as Daphne Du Selincourt was also an outstanding performance. Whilst Gleeson is a little more relaxed and determined, Robbie is a lot more on edge, and plays the role of this almost glory-hunting like wife to AA Milne so very well. Her eloquence on the English accent was stunning, and even though she wasn't the main part, she did her bit with a breeze of beauty and nuance.

I also thought Kelly MacDonald did a very good job of portraying Christopher's nanny Nou, who as we see throughout the narrative has sentimental meaning to Christopher, for reasons I can't really discuss due to the imprtance it has on the plot and the turning point for our characters. But what I can say, is that she is very, very good in the movie, I will do a spoiler review when the USA get the film most likely.

Gleeson and Robbie both glisten with difficult, unrelentless chemistry here as husband and wife, but where the film truly hits the home run is with young newcomer Will Tilston's portrayal of Christopher Robin. Tilston bounces off of Gleeson, Robbie and MacDonald so well, and considering this was his first ever acting role it's a good way to make yourself known in such a difficult industry

.

During the film, we see Christopher Robin relish and enjoy his time as a child as he plays with his teddy bears, so aptly named Winnie, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo and Tigger, as it sounds more "Tiggerish" than just Tiger. It's an interesting take to the true story behind the rather depressing, sullen true claim to fame of Christopher Robin, or as his parents called him "Billy Moon".

The true nature of this film is something we haven't seen before involving a character that's so orientated toward children, although it's a PG, and a very strong PG, it's absolutely terrifying for all the right reasons.

Constant PTSD World War I flashbacks in the happiest of moments, one in particular involving Milne and Billy Moon in the winter forest was so mesmerisingly sad and unprecedented by the happiness of the score and the current setting, Simon Curtis injects the true terror, distressing nature and fear that comes with PTSD, and seeing Milne's struggle with it all the way through the film was an emotional thrillride, that was so well presented.

There's almost a sense of identity crisis, as the fans worldwide know him as Christopher Robin, but all his life he was called Billy Moon, we get this conflict on and off during the film which again is such a difficult strand of narrative to ingest as you also have everything else which is going on. Luckily, the film doesn't get caught up in the thick of all the emotional grit, as we see the happy times and the sad times at the right places. Tilston and Gleeson have absolutely sublime chemistry, and you can truly feel that father-son relationship theme running throughout until the end titles roll.

Carter Burwell's lush, joyful yet melancholy orchestral score which drips through like a flooded ceiling is again, fantastic. The one track on the OST "Well, If it isn't Billy Moon" is absolutely stunning, and added in with a certain scene and the sumptious cinematograph by Ben Smithard, it's one of my favorite, most reflective scenes I have scene in a film. Beautiful in every sense of the word.

Goodbye Christopher Robin, a heart-wrenching, bedazzling spectacle of drama, with a plethora of emotional, distressing magnitude and a thick underlayer of heartwarming light humor and wonderful performances from everyone. It will leave you with an itch in your throat, a beaming grin on your face and performances that are simply unforgettable.

Sheer beautiful, prepossessing filmmaking that will hopefully sweep the awards it so impeccably deserves with such a small shoe string budget and an overwhelmingly fantastic effort from all involved.

Wonderful.