Based on fact, a biography set in 3 distinct time periods, World War1 jumps to the 1930's and then World War2.
The beginning examines the horrors of war, A. A. Milne fought in World War 1, when returning home we see how he's traumatised and still suffering from shell-shock, demonstrated by disturbing flashbacks triggered when a car backfires or a balloon bursting.
The film follows the origin of the classic book 'Winnie the Pooh', how it was created, how it was inspired by the author's son and toys. Portrays how we might imagine middle class England was at that time. There is an obviously frosty, distant relationship between AA Milne and his son, you'll probably be surprised how gloomy the family's home-life really was.
A.A Milne was already a successful journalist and playwright, but his war experiences motivates him to write an anti-war book, he moves the family to the country to concentrate on this. They take on a nanny (Olive) who builds a close relationship with their son.
Unfortunately the author suffers with writers block and this results in his wife selfishly moving back to London until he can get his head in order and write again. The wife is a very un-likable irritating character, there was nothing redeeming about her personality!
With the wife away the film becomes so much more interesting when the father starts to pay attention to his son and a friendship develops, this unlocks A. A. Milne's imagination. The book is written at a time when the population needed uplifting, and the book does that splendidly. The book and his son quickly become a worldwide success, although the sudden fame has a negative effect.
The older version of the son is sent to boarding school and is constantly bullied until the students are conscripted to World War2. Unfortunately the son fails the army physical / medical although his burning ambition is to go to war, so he asks his father to pull strings to get him in and he does. We see the son in military uniform leaving on the train but soon a telegram 'missing in action-presumed dead' is unfolded.
This is where many of the audience pulled out their tissues.
I would not recommend this film for children, the very emotional WW2 scenes makes this probably not suitable for a young audience.
The beginning examines the horrors of war, A. A. Milne fought in World War 1, when returning home we see how he's traumatised and still suffering from shell-shock, demonstrated by disturbing flashbacks triggered when a car backfires or a balloon bursting.
The film follows the origin of the classic book 'Winnie the Pooh', how it was created, how it was inspired by the author's son and toys. Portrays how we might imagine middle class England was at that time. There is an obviously frosty, distant relationship between AA Milne and his son, you'll probably be surprised how gloomy the family's home-life really was.
A.A Milne was already a successful journalist and playwright, but his war experiences motivates him to write an anti-war book, he moves the family to the country to concentrate on this. They take on a nanny (Olive) who builds a close relationship with their son.
Unfortunately the author suffers with writers block and this results in his wife selfishly moving back to London until he can get his head in order and write again. The wife is a very un-likable irritating character, there was nothing redeeming about her personality!
With the wife away the film becomes so much more interesting when the father starts to pay attention to his son and a friendship develops, this unlocks A. A. Milne's imagination. The book is written at a time when the population needed uplifting, and the book does that splendidly. The book and his son quickly become a worldwide success, although the sudden fame has a negative effect.
The older version of the son is sent to boarding school and is constantly bullied until the students are conscripted to World War2. Unfortunately the son fails the army physical / medical although his burning ambition is to go to war, so he asks his father to pull strings to get him in and he does. We see the son in military uniform leaving on the train but soon a telegram 'missing in action-presumed dead' is unfolded.
This is where many of the audience pulled out their tissues.
I would not recommend this film for children, the very emotional WW2 scenes makes this probably not suitable for a young audience.