If there was ever a personality who deserved the big screen treatment, it would be Walt Disney, What you have here though, is an 'A' list story wrapped in a 'B' movie package, which is kind of a shame because Walt Disney's career was larger than life and his legacy deserves better than this. Not that the picture is entirely bad, it provides a bare bones outline of Disney's (Thomas Ian Nicholas) early life and decision to make animation his full fledged career. Disney's early associations with the men who helped him get a start, along with brother Roy (Jon Heder), are chronicled through all the trials and tribulations of seeking financing and securing a decent place to form a studio. But the players aren't very charismatic and the performances are generally wooden. While watching, I was recalling my memory of Disney from watching the weekly Sunday night broadcasts back in the Fifties, and how he'd introduce each program and talk a little bit about it's subject matter. Delving into that portion of his career following the creation of Mickey Mouse and how the Disney empire emerged would have been a more valuable viewing option than what this turned out to be. The film ends right after the Ub Iwerks (Armando Gutierrez) animation 'Plane Crazy' featuring the original version of Mickey, and that's where I thought the story was really about to begin. Ultimately, the film leaves you wanting more, and maybe someday, Disney fans will get a more definitive treatment.
Review of Walt Before Mickey
