Deep in the hundred acre wood, where Christopher Robin plays, you will find the enchanted neighbourhood of Christopher’s childhood days…

But sadly, those childhood days are long gone for Christopher Robin in Disney’s new film which chronicles this famous character’s life after he leaves the hundred acre wood.

The movie begins with the Winnie-the-Pooh style we all remember from childhood. All of Christopher’s stuffed animal friends- Tigger, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl, Piglet, Kanga, Roo and Winnie-the-Pooh – have gathered to say goodbye before he heads off for the next chapter of his life: boarding school.

The party is followed by a touching scene of sad Pooh and Christopher Robin reminiscing over their favorite memories together. Pooh asks Christopher if he will ever forget him, and Christopher promises even if he lives to be 100,  he will never forget Pooh.  The two contentedly sit watching the sunset, enjoying the chance to just do nothing together.

But then reality sets in.

The next few scenes show Christopher’s life in the real world. His loneliness at his strict boarding school. The death of his father. The pressure of becoming the man of his house. The need to support his wife, Evelyn, and daughter, Madeline. All of these experiences are drawing Christopher farther and farther away from the fun-loving boy he used to be.

At this point, time slows down.

We see Christopher in his taxing job at a luggage company. He is a workaholic often left to deal with stressful issues on his own. When costs need to be cut and Christopher is the only hope for saving the jobs of his co-workers, he makes the decision to skip out on a weekend with his family. Evelyn and Madeline are both disappointed by Christopher’s pattern of consistently choosing work over them.

Enter everyone’s favorite silly old bear.

Pooh is faced with a dilemma of his own-all of his friends have gone missing. But there’s one person who always knows what to do in a situation like this-Christopher Robin – who has not been in the hundred acre wood for quite some time. So Pooh’s brain deduces that the appropriate course of action is for him to pay a visit to his dear old friend.

Christopher Robin is much changed though.

He has no time for his family let alone childhood games. Pooh has a way of showing us all the changes we need to make in our lives though, and he may just be the one to help Christopher reprioritize.

This new film is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is a perfect blend of comedy and drama, lighthearted-fun and serious, thought-provoking moments. The audience will laugh and cry while experiencing every emotion they want a movie to evoke from them.

This film also does an excellent job of reaching multiple audiences. I myself went into the theatre expecting to be entertained by a movie akin to those I watched in my childhood, but I experienced so much more.

This film is a must-see for the teens and adults of today’s world and anyone who feels burned out with life. The main message is that we all need to take time doing “nothing” with the people we love. The film uses the character of Christopher Robin as a mirror for older viewers. When Pooh confusedly asks about the importance of Christopher’s briefcase or reminds us of how you can find joy in the little things (like a red balloon), the viewer can not help but pause and reflect about how these little lessons can be applied to their own life.

And of course, many of these lessons are presented by beloved characters from one’s childhood. Tigger, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo and of course, Winnie-the Pooh all make appearances, pulling audience members back to a time when they too were carefree children. This movie offers a fun new twist on old familiar characters, adding to the reasons of why adults should see this film. They can experience childlike joy right along with their kids or younger siblings as these long-loved characters get to experience the craziness of London and interact with their best friend’s daughter.

The main source of comedy for the film comes from watching the hundred acre wood residents experience our world. Their individual personalities combined with new discoveries and the occasional fear of a heffalump or woozle makes for one heck of a ride for these stuffed friends. Audience members can’t help but chuckle as they watch Pooh absentmindedly interact with London commuters and Tigger argue with his reflection in a cab window.

Many outstanding performances fill this film, one of which being the return of Jim Cummings as the voices of Winnie-the-Pooh and Tigger. Ewan McGregor (Christopher Robin) does a remarkable job conveying the pressure of adulthood as he realistically plays off the internal struggle between work and family. Additionally, Hayley Atwell (Evelyn) and Bronte Carmichael (Madeline) convincingly convey their warring emotions of love and disappointment for Christopher. The whole Robin family exemplifies the issues that invade modern families authentically and in a way that pulls on the heartstrings of audience members.

Christopher Robin is a film worth seeing. It will make you smile and laugh, but more importantly it will make you stop and think. So go visit the enchanted neighborhood of your childhood days, stop in to see your favorite tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff and then go out with the people you love and just do nothing.