Film Rant: 'Saving Mr. Banks' charms your heart and hurts your feelings

You could say this portrayal of the making of "Mary Poppins" is "as sweet as a spoonful of sugar," but not without the bitter reality of emotional pain and regret.

"Saving Mr. Banks" is a Disney movie for grown-ups. There are no princesses nor musical numbers (although there is singing, fair warning). There is joy and whimsy, but also hurt. Like death. And alcoholism. And suicide. But "Saving Mr. Banks" is in no way dark. It succeeds in being both heart-wrenching and heartwarming, in classic Disney fashion.

Despite tendencies of being long and "talky," "Saving Mr. Banks" is as charming as Mary Poppins herself and looms toward Oscar potential.

What it's about:
"Saving Mr. Banks" focuses on the creative clashes between Walt Disney and "Mary Poppins" author P.L. Travers, who staunchly refuses to include musical numbers and animation in her book's film adaptation. We all know how that will end, but it is how Walt breaks Mrs. Travers that pierces the heart and brings out the child in all of us.

What was done right:
1. On-point performances. Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson make a believable Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, respectively. Walt Disney is jolly, imaginative and childlike. Travers is stone-faced, pessimistic and high maintenance. The character friction makes for great comedy, and Hanks and Thompson deliver wonderfully. If only it weren't so awkward that Walt Disney speaks with the voice of Woody.
2. Witty writing. The film has many quotable moments. Dialogue is rich and snappy throughout, with quiet character moments only amplified by the actors' performances.

What could have been done:
1. More visual artistry. Unfortunately, "Saving Mr. Banks" lost on its potential to be both emotionally and visually beautiful. There were some moments with creative shots and artistic framing, but cinematography remained mostly generic. The movie also featured numerous flashbacks which could have benefited from smoother transitions to avoid confusing the audience. This may seem a bit nit-picky, but movies are meant for the eyes. So give us something nice to see, or write a book.
2. Shorten it.  A movie with a story as simple as this could be much shorter. Two hours and five minutes can drag unless you have an explosive action sequence in between, or something. 

What’s the verdict? "Saving Mr. Banks" is worth watching, especially if you are an avid "Mary Poppins" fan. If "Saving Mr. Banks" has Oscar potential, it is with the actors and the screenplay. It may snag a Best Film nomination, but certainly not a win.

It was…

Oscar-worthy.

Amazing.

Good.

Okay.

Awful.

Two hours of life wasted.