The weather’s picking up, and slowly but surely we are easing into a period in the film release calendar that sees more opportunity for families to pile into the cinema together and watch some wholesome, all-ages fare. Nowhere is this more happily welcomed than by Cameron Crowe’s latest heartwarmer WE BOUGHT A ZOO, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson in the poignant true-life tale of a man who loses his wife, and finds an idiosyncratic way to start his life all over again. In the bowels of the Mayfair Hotel in the fancier part of London, a special screening was held in their stylish projection room, and THN was there to catch the red carpet happenings.
WE BOUGHT A ZOO marks not-so-prolific director Crowe’s first foray into the family film genre; after dabbling in science fiction with 2001’s VANILLA SKY and releasing the critical failure ELIZABETHTOWN in 2005, Crowe has been largely off the radar for almost seven years. 2011 saw him release two documentaries – THE UNION, detailing Elton John’s making of the eponymous album; and PEARL JAM 20, a detailed portrait of the Seattle grunge band. Naturally it’s exciting to see Crowe back in action, and his latest film shows a return of some sorts to the sentimental stories he often finds unique ways of telling. This is the first film he has directed based on a memoir, and it involves some dramatic departures from the source material.
This memoir was written in 2008 by Benjamin Mee, and it details the story of how he and his family decided to turn their lives around and purchase Dartmoor Zoological Park in Devon. The book also tells of how Benjamin’s wife, Katherine, lost her battle with a brain tumour in 2007, and the ways in which the experience of becoming a new zookeeper juxtaposed his grief and transformed his life. The film moves the action to California, changes the name of the park to Rosemoor, and adds a dash of Hollywood charm and sparkle to the whole affair.
Unfortunately, almost everybody involved with the actual making of this film was not in attendance tonight; no autographs signed by Matt Damon, no poses struck by Scarlett Johansson and no words of wisdom from Cameron Crowe were forthcoming in any regards. Benjamin Mee himself did, however, attend, with his family in tow, to answer a barrage of questions from a hungry battalion of reporters and journalists. Also spotted were a smattering of British limelight veterans, including Sam Faiers and other TOWIE tag-alongs; presenter Kate Garraway and her mischievous young daughter Darcey; long-time fiancés Vanessa Feltz and Ben Ofoedu; and Bill Oddie, who was unlikely to miss out on any cinematic animal fare.
Benjamin Mee said a few words about working with Cameron Crowe:
“I spoke to him a few times in the preparation stage, but really he had no obligation to talk to me, he just wanted to out of politeness and kindness. Subsequently on the set he was very interested in showing me the craft of filmmaking, because I said to him, you know, ‘How do you do this stuff?’ And he said to me, because he was a Rolling Stone journalist, ‘It’s easy, you’re a writer, it’s just the same, you just do it with pictures and people and stuff.’ So he just sat there, and he’s a real hippy laid-back guy, and so I spent a lot of time sitting next to Cameron Crowe and learning from him.”
Have a peek at the bright lights and the celebrity mingling below!
WE BOUGHT A ZOO is out now in cinemas nationwide.
