IMDb user comments for
Miss Potter (2006) More at IMDbPro »

Filter:

Best Chronological Prolific Authors Loved It Hated It Hide Spoilers:

Page 1 of 14:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Index

132 comments in total

---

129 out of 147 people found the following review useful:
Truly Moving Picture, 20 December 2006

Author: tollini from United States

I saw this film on December 17th, 2006 in Indianapolis. I am one of the judges for the Heartland Film Festival's Truly Moving Picture Award. A Truly Moving Picture "…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life." Heartland gave that award to this film.

This is the story of Beatrix Potter, the author of many classic illustrated children's stories such as "Peter Rabbit." She was raised in the latter part of the 19th Century in an upper middle class, stuffy family. And worked in the early part of the 20th Century.

It is a story of rebellion, and one woman's liberation from knowing one's place, settling on an arranged marriage, and quietly raising a family in the shadow of a man. Beatrix (Renee Zellweger) would have none of that. She had a dreamy artist's imagination and talent and temperament from an early age and simply rebelled and lived in her own created world. When the world recognized her talent, she slowly became a part of the commercial world via the book publishing industry and a mentor/love interest (Ewan McGregor) and the mentor's sister (Emily Watson).

The cast is brilliant. You go back in time with them a 100 years and live with and understand their stilted social mores. The art direction and cinematography are stunning and are worthy of Academy Award nominations.

There is one neat trick of animation that appears throughout this film. The drawn animal characters occasionally become animated, but only to Beatrix. It sounds hokey, but it is a clever way to demonstrate how real these characters were to their author. And, it's why they have rung true to children and to adults for many generations.

Beatrix is a model for determination and pluck and steadfastness. This is a beautiful story beautifully told. Undoubtedly, this film will be compared to "Finding Neverland." "Miss Potter" is of the same high quality.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

---

113 out of 121 people found the following review useful:
A Perfect film for the Oldest of Curmudgeon's, 11 January 2007

Author: simonapsey from United Kingdom

If like me you are an old curmudgeon, who often makes Scrooge seem like Mother Theresa, then I strongly suggest you go watch this beautiful enchanting film on the life of Beatrix Potter.

It is extremely rare in these days of overblown special effects and "Written by Number Scripts" to come across a film that has intelligence, innocence, excellent acting, and beautiful music and cinematography.

I have seen other reviews that said Renee Zellwegger was wrong for the role of Potter, but I felt she had clearly understood the nature of the world in which Potter lived and the inner nature of a woman who had enormous talent, yet was determined to fight against the confinement's and mores of Victorian Society. There really was not one performance by any of the actors in the film that was out of place.

In these days when we educate our children with cynical reality shows, in which instant and short lived fame is more important that working hard to achieve your dreams, "Miss Potter" took me back to my childhood of innocence and imagination where simple but beautiful stories created so much warmth and good feeling.

This is a film for all age's, and all people. Absolutely beautiful from start to finish

---

91 out of 105 people found the following review useful:
A "Mary Poppins" Merry Movie :), 9 December 2006

Author: Blotkey from United States

"Miss Potter" is a wonderful movie caused me to coo, "AwwWWwwWw..." rather often. My friend and I thought it was such a heart-warming movie, through every scene, we kept wondering, "Wait, when does the climatic bad part happen?" This movie shows the inspiring journey that the successful author of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter, undergoes.

Beatrix loved drawing woodland animals as a girl and telling stories about them to her maid and younger brother. Despite her mother's stolid opinion against her adroit hobby, Beatrix displays her fortitude as a young woman trying to get a publisher. She is introduced to the youngest son of a publishing company, who is played by the urbane and charming Ewan McGregor (Moulin Rouge). Miss Potter's only friends were her drawings of her forest creatures, until she met the young publisher and her comical sister. Her drawings come to life (you see them animated whenever Beatrix looks at them) and are reflections of characters in her own life and feelings.

Reoccuring themes such as friendship, anti-marriage in the early 1900s in the views of suffragettes, and attainment of one's dreams.

Highly recommended for anyone who's been wanting a poignant, feel-good film. :)

---

89 out of 104 people found the following review useful:
Texan Zellweger does Beatrix Potter and English literature proud. Grand and exciting movie!, 30 December 2006

Author: bopdog from Cardiff, Wales

This is a fine movie. It has exquisite beauty, love, aspiration and dreams--- and meticulous historical vibes. It is very true to the real story of Beatrix Potter. It is also a solidly interesting and entertaining movie as well. Far from being only a mere confection and therefore meaningless, 'Miss Potter' is meaty and solid.

In addition to being a great dramatic movie and true to life, it also possesses charm and grace. The very selective animation of the watercolour characters she drew--- and animated only for Miss Potter's eyes, mind!--- are sweet, and totally in line with the original paintings she made 100 years ago. It is truly as if the characters come alive for her, and we get to share her passion, intimacy, and love for them, rather than the audience merely seeing a 'cartoon' of some kind. A welcome and pure delight!

The movie, in being faithful to the real Miss Potter's life, reflected her actual world. Note that she had a chaperon at all times, even when in her own garden, or shopping. Social mores and what was proper or not occupied her mother, who herself was only a generation away from being one of those odious and lowly creatures she so despised--- 'a tradesman'. Heavens!

Anyway--- given the life and times of Beatrix Potter, a movie about her will have certain degree of that as well--- a certain gentility. Note also that her children's books were also the very soul of discretion and refinement. She painted watercolor bunnies, for goodness' sake. I found the life she did lead, and which was amply depicted in this movie, to be as dramatic as any. Consider what she endured, and what she went through. As well as what she didn't go through. She was healthy, and rich, so we won't see a lot of struggling with survival. She was kind and refined, so we won't see a lot of violence and judgement and hatred, etc.---- those things were simply not in her.

She was, nonetheless, truly inspirational. She was bold, and a free thinker who displayed a lot of courage. She wasn't a prostitute or a criminal or a resistance fighter or a herion addict or any 'dramatic' thing like that. Maybe she didn't have to agonize over each piece of literature she produced, but the process of creativity and perseverance she did go through was inspiring to me.

Renee Zellweger did a remarkable job. And just think--- she comes from Texas! The fact that a Texan pulled off a spot-on portrayal of a great English artist seems to have bent the noses of a tiny few English folks--- maybe they are jealous, and stuck in some old and fetid dream of a long gone Empire? Dunno. But I loved Zellweger in this, and I think you will too. She masterfully and expertly did Beatrix Potter, and the English society of the turn of the last century, proud.

---

75 out of 89 people found the following review useful:
Lovely Film, 21 December 2006

Author: GearMaven from San Francisco, CA

Very much enjoyed this lovely film at the San Francisco screening this evening and so seemed the audience who clapped enthusiastically at the end and delayed to read the credits and listen to the closing music. How nice to be in a theater when your fellow attendees give heartfelt sighs of delight at seeing the desired outcome of a scene play out...or who wholeheartedly laugh at the witty script. Throw in stunning Lake Country, Cumbria, and Isle of Man scenery with surprises from the artist's sketch pad and you have a wonderful film. And, at last, a film for adults and young people that leaves out the unnecessary foul language and gratuitous sex scenes. How refreshing! A wholesome romance with beautiful stories of friendship and challenging family relationships in late 19th/early 20th Century England. Funny...I wish Hollywood and its screenwriters with high-school-peeping-Tom mentalities would understand that these are the kinds of movies we're craving! Very high recommendations for this movie and its talented actors.

---

54 out of 61 people found the following review useful:
Wow!, 7 January 2007

Author: sparkly_shell from United Kingdom

I saw Miss Potter on the premiere night and as a devote fan of Beatrix Potter I was extremely impressed! As a previous comment said that they would not watch it I feel sorry for them as Renee, though she isn't English did a spectacular job. Judy Dench would not match her and is after all too old and would have lacked the vitality Renee brought to the part. Ewan and her have so much chemistry especially in the scene were he proposes. Their performances were tender, genuine and extremely believable. It is the most perfect film I have ever seen. As for the supporting actors and actresses, they gave as good a performance as the leads! I especially loved seeing the Lake District which myself and my family visit a lot looking gorgeous as always. The added bit of animation was so beautiful, it was used very well as I was worried it might look out of place but it brought the story and animals to life. Loved it when Jemima shock her tail feather at Norman! Altogether the film was faultless.

---

56 out of 66 people found the following review useful:
An Engaging, delightful surprise, 14 December 2006

Author: Tony Macklin (tonymacklin) from Las Vegas, NV

Only the most curmudgeonly won't delight in this tender, inventive movie -- Miss Potter.

There aren't many movies that one can recommend to all of his or her friends, but Miss Potter may be the rare exception.

It has flair, style, and humanity.

Rene Zellwegger -- not everyone's favorite -- only occasionally simpers in her sensitive, forceful performance as writer Beatrix Potter.

Ewan McGregor and Emily Watson fit perfectly into their very likable characters.

The direction, screenplay, and art direction are all first-rate. And the sparing use of animation is wonderful. Peter Rabbit never looked so charming.

---

49 out of 55 people found the following review useful:
An interesting feel-good film, 6 January 2007

Author: sarahlouie from United Kingdom

This is genuinely one of the best films i have seen for a long time. It is superbly acted all round, and makes brilliant use of the locations really allowing the viewer to understand and appreciate the beauty of the Lake District. Ordinarily i would have been more sceptical of the casting of an American actress in a role such as Beatrix Potter. However, Renee Zellweger is such a good actress and embraces this role so well that i have no qualms in this area here, although i did read one comment which said Emily Watson (Millie) would have made a better Beatrix - and am in complete agreement that she too would have been wonderful ( i mean aren't there enough British actresses to go round?!), but as i say i couldn't fault Renee Zellweger either. One thing that was nice to see was a good British supporting cast, not one of whom put a foot wrong. The story was brilliantly scripted too, with a good blend of fact, fiction, innocence, romance and fantasy touches. The film just really left me smiling - its a great reminder of what we go to the cinema for.

---

51 out of 62 people found the following review useful:
An Enchanting "Miss Potter", 14 December 2006

Author: cinelyze from United States

"Miss Potter," based on the life of Beatrix Potter, the best selling author of children's books of all time, is an enchanting film.

Directed by Chris Noonan ("Babe") and written by Richard Maltby, Jr., whose theatrical background is no doubt the reason the 94-minute film has such a jaunty pace, "Miss Potter" is not a standard biopic in that it has the ability to appeal to pretty much everyone, with the exception of the very young, which I'll get to in a moment.

Opening images of a pair of hands carefully choosing the pencils and brushes that are the tools of the writer/illustrator's craft, paired with a voice-over that tells us that "there is something delicious about writing the first words of a story," reveal Potter's passion for her craft. Her affection for what she calls her "friends" -- the bunnies, frogs and ducks who are the subjects of her tales -- is equally strong. So strong, in fact, that we wonder, as do the two gentlemen who agree to produce her work, if Miss Potter (Rene Zellweger) isn't just a little daft.

This notion is quickly laid to rest, however, when we see the author, escorted by fledgling publisher Norman Warne (a sedately sweet Ewan McGregor), confidently direct the printing of her works, an endeavor not generally expected of single women in 1902 London, and not deemed acceptable by its society.

Among those who find this effort distasteful are Potter's parents (Barbara Flynn and Bill Patterson), a pair of "social climbers" who seek to marry their only daughter to a man of means. That she refuses these overtures is the crux of their often contentious relationship.

In lieu of marriage, Potter immerses herself in her work. As her success blossoms, so does her relationship with her champion, Mr. Warne, who introduces the author to his sister, Millie (Emily Watson), another spinster. The two women develop a palpable bond, based primarily on their like-minded philosophies about life.

Precisely how Potter developed her ideology is never told, but flashbacks to her childhood reveal an independent girl (charmingly played by newcomer Lucy Boynton) with natural storytelling abilities and a love for drawing the small animals she encounters while summering in England's bucolic Lake Country with her family. It is from these experiences that Potter fashioned her famous "Tales of..." series.

In an effort to bring Potter's experiences with the books to life on the screen, Noonan incorporates a series of technically adept animation sequences. These are completely effective in delivering the sweetness of Potter's tales, and they will appeal to even the youngest viewers. But the film offers too few of them to be satisfying. As a result they become a tease, a sort of trailer to get us to buy the books. While there are many reasons to buy and read Potter's books, using a film to get us to do so feels like too much manipulation.

In all other ways this is sound and pleasurable film-making. Performances are what one would expect from so seasoned a cast, with Zellweger bringing her natural cherubic quality to the role of the author. Production design (by Martin Childs), which incorporates a color palette that matches Potter's work, and cinematography by Andrew Dunn ("History Boys," "Mrs. Henderson") are elegant but not ostentatious, and are reminiscent of the look of "Finding Neverland," another film set in turn-of-the-century England.

In the hundred or so years since Beatrix Potter created her venerated children's series, a lot has changed in the world. One thing that hasn't, however, is that we still love a good story, particularly one that warms our hearts and makes us feel good about the world. "Miss Potter" does precisely that.

---

53 out of 68 people found the following review useful:
A perfect role for Renee!, 6 December 2006

Author: (gharpey@aol.com) from New York

Renee is perfect in this role, sweet, touching, funny and amazing as usual. I have a feeling that a release just at the end of the year has something to do with the Oscar season...And I wouldn't be surprised to see Renee in the nominations. The drawing and special effects when she talks to her "friends" are funny and well done. Great supporting roles, especially Emily Watson and the chaperone part...Beautiful landscape. I really hope the movie will attract a big audience, even though, I'm not sure who the audience will be. Peter Rabbit and Co. are part of everybody's childhood and it brings back a lot of memories. I'm sure a lot of people will relate to the story. And to finish, the song at the end is beautifully sung by Katie Melua. I totally recommend this movie!

---

---

Page 1 of 14:

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11]

Add another review

---

Related Links

Plot summary	Ratings	Awards
External reviews	Parents Guide	Official site
Plot keywords	Main details	Your user comments
Your vote history