Saving Mr. Banks - 10 stars out of 10

Saving Mr. Banks - 10 stars out of 10

“Saving Mr. Banks” is as awesome as anticipated, but in a completely unexpected way.  What appears to be “The Making of Mary Poppins” is actually an intricate series of parallels between the “Mary Poppins” characters, the script negotiations, and the childhood of P. L. Travers.  Magical moments like Disney taking Travers to Disneyland and the Sherman brothers composing the iconic Poppins songs are contrasted by heartbreaking flashbacks to Travers’ childhood.  Even though the film must be classified as a drama, comic relief is perfectly punctuated throughout the film to maintain a lighthearted and uplifting feel.  The script deserves an Oscar nomination for maintaining this balance and simultaneously transporting us into the rehearsal room at Walt Disney Studios and the childhood of Travers.  You knew that the film was going to be fantastic from the moment that you saw the movie poster with the shadows of Disney and Travers taking the form of Mickey Mouse and Mary Poppins.  The poster and previews make the film irresistible and the final product lives up to every expectation of excellence.   Disney Studios ensured that this untold story would turn heads through its casting.  With two two-time Oscar winners in the lead roles, the film moves beyond acting in order to recreate real life.  Tom Hanks is the first actor to portray Walt Disney and has set the bar very high through his accent and overall appearance.  Emma Thompson’s portrayal of P. L. Travers is incredibly deep and refined as she concurrently must be stubborn on the outside, angry on the inside, and lonely at her core.  I had my doubts about Colin Farrell (especially after watching “In Bruges” the night before) but he struck the perfect balance between endearing and irresponsible.  Even with the Oscar-winners headlining the film, my favorite performance came from Paul Giamatti.  His character could have been completely static but his interpretive line delivery and subtlety in his emotional scene created a great connection.  It was also fun to see the Sherman brothers and their process come to life through Jason Schwartzman and B. J. Novak.  It’s easy to forget about Annie Rose Buckley because she plays the role of young  P. L. Travers so perfectly that you assume that it is a real flashback.  When you combine these amazing performances with an excellent script and a Thomas Newman soundtrack that highlights the music from “Mary Poppins” while bringing out the emotions of each scene, “Saving Mr. Banks” deserves a place on everybody’s Top Ten for 2013.