Movie Review: Top Three Lessons from Christopher Robin

My son has been pretty excited about August. Our favorite pastime is watching movies. And this month, we’ve got a few marked in our calendar. There’s a movie about a giant shark, one based on a popular cartoon series, and Disney’s Christopher Robin.

Both of us are fans of Winnie the Pooh. I grew up watching and reading about Pooh’s escapades, and so has my son. That’s why we had high expectations for Christopher Robin. And let me tell you that the movie did not disappoint. It was absolutely wonderful!

If you’re not familiar with Pooh’s gang, Christopher Robin is one of Winnie the Pooh’s very best friends. But in this movie, he’s all grown up and “adulting” his way through life. The movie starts by recounting Christopher’s last day with Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, Rabbit, Owl, Kanga and baby Roo before he is sent off to boarding school. Then we watch Christopher’s life unfold quickly before our eyes until the story settles into his present life of being a husband, a father, and a hardworking manager at a luggage company. He’s busy. So busy that it seems he’s lost his way and has put everyone, including himself, in the backseat. All this until a chance encounter with his childhood friends remind him of what’s truly important. And don’t worry, that’s all I’m going to say about the movie so I don’t spoil your movie date with your little ones.

I will tell you though the important lessons I picked up. What I thought would be a few hours of ogling at Christopher Robin (portrayed by Ewan McGregor) turned out to be a pool of life lessons. The movie is as much for us parents as it is for our kids.

Here are my 3 top takeaways from Disney’s Christopher Robin:

1.       You can get unstuck from whatever situation that’s preventing you from living life to the fullest. As Winnie the Pooh said, “I always get to where I’m going by walking away from where I’ve been.” It’s easy to get caught up in work, worries about bills, and all the responsibilities that come with growing up. But as Pooh puts it, we can always walk away from what holds us back.

2.       “Nothing can lead to something” was a phrase repeated quite often during the movie. In the midst of a hectic, fast-paced life, we need to stop and take a break. When we do nothing, we have time to discern what we want to do and where we really want to go. As a plus, our best ideas come when we’re relaxed, feet up, and without a care in the world.

3.       At the end of the movie, my son whispers to me, “See mom, you’re never too old to be like a child”. This hit me hard. I realize I’ve let the pressures of work overcome me, at the expense of spending quality time with him. It’s a wake-up call for work-life balance. And a realization that my work will go on even if I’m not there 24/7 but my physical and mental presence in my son’s life is irreplaceable.

Christopher Robin is a feel-good movie that the whole family will enjoy! Kids will love the funny moments of Pooh and the gang, while adults get more than they bargained for. You walk away looking at life with child-like eyes. It’s definitely a must-see!

Watch Christopher Robin now showing in cinemas.