This film was made the year before the Disney live-action film Christopher Robin, a fictional story about the famous child who grew up, and what happened next, I think I saw film critic Mark Kermode talking about this film on a review show, I was always going to watch this one first, directed by Simon Curtis (My Week with Marilyn). Basically Alan Alexander Milne, nicknamed "Blue" (Domhnall Gleeson) by his friends and family, has resumed life with his wife Daphne (Margot Robbie). He returned from the First World War, fighting in the Battle of the Somme, but he is still suffering shell shock of occasional flashbacks to his battle experiences. Daphne gives birth to their child; she was hoping to have a girl and is disappointed to have a boy instead. They name their boy Christopher Robin Milne, but generally call him "Billy Moon", and they hire a nanny, Olive (Kelly Macdonald), whom Billy calls "Nou". Blue is having difficulty returning to writing, wanting to write a compelling exposition against war, he relocates the family to a house in the country surrounded by woodland. Daphne resents the move and returns to London for an extended period. During that time, Olive goes to care for her dying mother and the cook also leaves to take time off, Blue and Billy (Will Tilston) are left to look after themselves. Blue is reluctant at first to take Billy along on walks in the woods, but this becomes more frequent, and during which, they make up stories of adventures involving the plush toy animals the parents bought for Billy. Blue is inspired by Billy's imagination and treating the toy animals as real characters, so he invites his illustrator friend Ernest (Stephen Campbell Moore) to join them at the house, and together to create a story book. Daphne returns to home after Blue sends her a poem, "Vespers", that she has published in Vanity Fair, and Olive also returns following the death of her mother. The first book by Blue, credited as A. A. Milne, is published, it is about a young boy named Christopher Robin, and adventures with his animal friends, including his best friend, a teddy bear named Winnie-the-Pooh. Further stories about Pooh bear and his friends of the Hundred Acre Wood follow, becoming a great success. Daphne manages their newfound celebrity, while Billy, as Christopher Robin, makes frequent public appearances which he finds confusing and frustrating. Billy learns that Olive has a lover named Alfred (Shaun Dingwall), he tells his parents, Daphne feels betrayed and angrily confronts her. Olive becomes angry with Blue and Daphne, resigns, and admonishes them for what they have been putting Billy through. Blue decides to stop writing about the boy and his imaginary friends. Blue ends Billy's publicity activities and enrols him at a boarding school, however, "Christopher Robin" (Alex Lawther) is bullied at the school and emerges bitter toward his father. When the Second World War breaks out, Billy is initially declared unfit for drafting, but he demands his well-connected father, despite his wartime experiences, convince the army to accept him regardless. Billy leaves for service, turning his back on his father and disowning the books and the money from them. Later, Blue and Daphne receive a distressing letter, Billy has been reported missing and is presumed dead, they also tell this to Olive. However, Billy has survived and arrives at the country house unannounced, leading to an awkward and tearful reunion with his parents and Olive. Blue and Billy reconcile, and are seen walking together through the woods, showing Billy as both a young child and young man. Also starring Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Mary Brown, Geraldine Somerville as Lady O and Richard McCabe as Rupert. Gleeson does very well as the first troubled man suffering writer's block who lightens up because of his child, Robbie does a very good English accent and is alright being brittle, Macdonald gets good moments as the nanny, and dimple-cheeked Tilston steals his scenes as the adorable child who achieved international fame. This is no Disney tale, there are the fun elements, seeing the child playing with his cuddly toys and the father bonding with him as he creates the famous books, but there are also the dark elements, including trauma from war and the price of fame, but overall it is an affectionate, charming and worthwhile biographical drama. Good!
Review of Goodbye Christopher Robin
