Welcome back for another installment in the Margot Robbie filmography watch through. This week, after seeing yet another month with no streaming home for a certain movie, I decided to use some Apple credits and just rent it. That’s right, we are finally crossing off Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) off of our list.
Title: Goodbye Christopher Robin
Director: Simon Curtis
Released: September 20, 2017 (Premiere in the United Kingdom), September 29, 2017 (Theatrical release in Ireland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom)
Runtime: 1 hour 47 minutes
Available to stream: Nope, but it is a $3.99 digital rental (or a $4.99 purchase)
Alan Alexander Milne (Domhnall Gleeson), better known to the world as A.A. Milne and to his family and friends as Blue, returns from World War I a different man. He now suffers from post traumatic stress disorder which makes readjusting to life in London quite a challenge. Meanwhile, his wife, Daphne (Margot Robbie), is only concerned about improving and maintaining her social status.
So naturally, the smart thing for a couple like that to do is to bring life into the world. Enter Christopher Robin (Will Tilston), who commonly goes by the nickname Billy Moon. Unfortunately for him, Daphne was dead set on having a girl and is profoundly disappointed when Christopher winds up being a boy.
But having a child won’t deter her from keeping her spot in social circles. No, they simply hire a nanny named Olive, who Christopher calls Nou (Kelly Macdonald). As Christopher ages, he becomes more attached to Nou as she’s the one there with him while he grows up.
Meanwhile, Daphne is off hobnobbing with the elites while A.A. is spending time with Christopher. While Christopher is playing in the woods with his stuffed animals, yes the same ones that would later become Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, and Tigger. His wartime pal, Ernest (Stephen Campbell Moore) illustrates Christopher while he plays and it’s these drawings that become the inspiration for the stories that we all know and love today.
Yes, Winnie the Pooh became a massive success. But at what cost?
Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) is an incredibly interesting story that winds up being a mixed bag.
At its core, it’s a dark tale of child exploitation. Two parents who have only their own best interests in mind trot out their kid to further their own success. Christopher is tricked into doing interviews, public appearances, and having to deal with abandonment. To anyone paying attention, it is clear that Christopher is hurting. However, his parents don’t catch-on until it’s too late.
Pretty bleak, right? Well, so is the real story. However, Simon Curtis almost feels a bit hesitant to fully destroy any beloved childhood connections we have to the fictional characters in the Hundred Acre Wood. Either fully commit to the truth or fully commit to glossing over it, but don’t try and do a little of both.
The pacing doesn’t do the film any favors either. We spend the first two acts deep into the creation of Winnie the Pooh and the impact it has on Christopher. This leads to a third act that feels rather clunky and unfocused. Did we need to see how an older Christopher fared from all of the fame? Of course, but it felt half-hearted and rushed.
The performances, as a whole, were serviceable. The child actor playing young Christopher grew on me as the story unfolded. Gleeson seemed a bit wooden and detached throughout, though I’m sure this was mostly due to the character he was portraying. While there were no memorable performances, there also weren’t any offensive performances either.
Regardless of how you feel about the story, you can’t help but enjoy the cinematography from Ben Smithard. His vision allows you to feel the emotions that the characters aren’t always as keen to let you in on.
Overall, Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017) is certainly worth a watch. Despite being unsure of how much of the truth to reveal, and mainly being about child exploitation, at its core it still packs a lot of heart. While it may not be easy to find on streaming, I’d definitely recommend spending the price of one coffee to rent and check it out.
Well, now it’s your turn. Have you seen Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017)?
If so, leave a comment below or reach out on Bluesky and let me know what you thought!
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