Miss Potter (2006)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482546/
Director: Chris Noonan / Script: Richard Maltby Jr.
Runtime: 92min
Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson
Genre: Biography / Drama / Romance
Tagline: One of the greatest love stories never told.

It’s an enchanting tale of the life of Beatrix Potter, the talented children’s book author, illustrating her struggles for publishing her books and finding love in the Victorian era. It is Chris Noonan’s first film after “Babe”, and it has won a Truly Moving Picture Award. The director reasoned his choice for directing this movie saying that he was waiting for something unique to perform, something emotional but real.

The movie is lovely and heartwarming. It is set in the summer days of late Victorian and Edwardian England, where Beatrix Potter begins her close connection with her drawings She manages to prove herself as an artist and a writer by getting her books published, and finds love as well. The film illustrates many interesting aspects of the Victorian era with its strict social and moral values. Renee Zellweger is absolutely wonderful! She did a great job; I can’t imagine anyone fitting better in the role of Beatrix Potter. She has such a nice, calm voice, and her character is admirable and inspirational. Ewan McGregor is charming as well. Together they manage to create chemistry on screen and draw attention on their brilliant acting as well. There is just a right amount of animation during the movie, making it more playful and illustrating the connection of the artist with her work. The art direction and photography is excellent; together with the soundtrack they create a sense of feel-good during the film. The sceneries are beautiful. The soundtrack is quite magical, as if taken from a tale. The romantic love-story which evolves during the movie makes the story even more poignant.

It’s quite an ideal movie for all ages, presenting a life-journey with all its tribulations and still ending with hope. I simply was surprised by how good this movie was and how it stimulated emotions of all kinds.