We Bought a Zoo

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We Bought a Zoo

PG,

2011,

2h 4m,

Kids & Family/

Comedy/

Drama

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Watchlist

64%

171 Reviews

Tomatometer

71%

100,000+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

64%

Tomatometer

171 Reviews

71%

Popcornmeter

100,000+ Ratings

Following his wife's untimely death, Los Angeles journalist Benjamin Mee decides to make a fresh start by quitting his job and moving his children to an 18-acre property containing the Rosemoor Wildlife Park. Though closed for years, Rosemoor is still home to many animals, cared for by Kelly Foster and her small staff. Mee opens his heart and his checkbook as he, Kelly and the others work to renovate and reopen the zoo.

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Critics Consensus

We Bought a Zoo is a transparently cloying effort by director Cameron Crowe, but Matt Damon makes for a sympathetic central character.

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

Aug 31, 2018

Everything is, indeed, tied up exactly the way you know it will be tied up, because it is that sort of film, but it still provides a perfectly agreeable way to spend the two hours you weren't going to do anything with anyway.

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Tara Brady

Irish Times

Mar 19, 2012

3/5

It unfolds like military assault on the tear ducts. Don't know when to cry? Here comes Sigur Rs' Jnsi with an evocative sonic swoop to help you on your way.

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David Sexton

London Evening Standard

Mar 16, 2012

3/5

You have to admire the thoroughness with which We Bought a Zoo - which is the film Disney would make if they still knew how - caters to the whole family.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mar 6, 2023

2.5/4

Crowe’s film doesn’t love animals the way it should and never acknowledges the intangible way in which animals affect humans.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 21, 2022

2/5

...a movie that’s full of forced sentiment and familiar themes that play out exactly as they have in countless other films.

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Don Shanahan

Every Movie Has a Lesson

Jun 26, 2022

4/5

The wonderful interactions and work with the animal co-stars is well done, but it's only effective window dressing to the real project.

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Abraham R

Apr 21, 2019

Forgettable at best. If you think this is a good movie, you can safely start upping your standards because there were already so many better options to go to back in 2011

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Theodore R

Dec 4, 2018

one of the best family movies ever

Leia R

Nov 22, 2018

Not only does it drag, it replicates every Disney release I've ever seen, from the inattentive father trying to learn how to be a better parent; to the resistant, rebellious child trying to cope with a dead mother; to vicious, man-eating animals being portrayed as cutesy and fuzzy-wuzzy set to whimsical, fun music; to boring love interests; to that one emotional scene of someone crying over a dead person. Despite its common, overused themes, everyone's knee-jerk, emotional reaction is to give this a high rating because of its saccharine portrayal of animals and children, both of which are syrupy and nauseating.

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Poe L

Sep 25, 2018

I though it was really cute, a little corny but, that's have they should be..

Luke P

Aug 31, 2018

All round a warm feel-good family film.

Harry L

Aug 28, 2018

An awesome light-hearted movie that makes that flickering little flame of hope for humanity in your heart grow two sizes bigger.

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Cameron Crowe

Director

Matt Damon

Benjamin Mee

Scarlett Johansson

Kelly Foster

Thomas Haden Church

Duncan Mee

Patrick Fugit

Robin Jones

Colin Ford

Dylan Mee

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Synopsis

Following his wife's untimely death, Los Angeles journalist Benjamin Mee decides to make a fresh start by quitting his job and moving his children to an 18-acre property containing the Rosemoor Wildlife Park. Though closed for years, Rosemoor is still home to many animals, cared for by Kelly Foster and her small staff. Mee opens his heart and his checkbook as he, Kelly and the others work to renovate and reopen the zoo.

Director: Cameron Crowe
Producer: Julie Yorn, Cameron Crowe, Rick Yorn
Screenwriter: Aline Brosh McKenna, Cameron Crowe
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Dune, Twentieth Century Fox, Vinyl Films
Rating: PG (Some Thematic Elements|Language)
Genre: Kids & Family, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 23, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $75.6M
Runtime: 2h 4m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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