But mostly, it's a movie about fathers.
A really good movie about fathers.
The Big Story of Saving Mr. Banks is of Walt Disney's very challenging, but ultimately successful, twenty-years-long campaign to convince P.L. Travers to let him make her novel, Mary Poppins, into a movie. The most entertaining moments in the film come courtesy of Mrs. Travers' extraordinary particularness about EVERYTHING. At one point she insists that, if the movie is to be made, it mustn't contain the color red. And no animation. And NO singing or prancing about.
But the Heart of Saving Mr. Banks is all about fathers. Specifically, how the complicated relationships of both Walt Disney and P.L. Travers with their complicated fathers still loom large over their adult lives. Both fathers are deeply flawed, but deeply loved by their children. A common enough occurrence, I would think, but one that's not often explored on film.
The movie is endearing and unexpected and unique and funny. The husband and I both enjoyed it very much.
There isn't any language or raciness or gore, but there are complicated and troubling adult situations that probably account for its PG-13 rating. I don't think it would be particularly interesting to children younger than that, but I highly recommend it for adults.