Amazon.co.uk Review
Miss Potter walks that fine line between charming and cloying with pleasing sure-footedness. Apple-cheeked Renee Zellweger (
Bridget Jones' Diary) once again slips into a British accent to play writer/illustrator Beatrix Potter, the creator of Peter Rabbit. Potter, born into wealth, fought the disapproval of her high society mother to do something as crass as publish a book... and to fall in love with her publisher, Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor, previously teamed with Zellweger in
Down With Love). Unfortunately, their love runs into something worse than upper-class stuffiness. Miss Potter skips through Potter's life a bit too briskly at times, but Zellweger's thankfully restrained performance, McGregor's infinite charm, and some beautiful shots of the English landscape keep the movie grounded and engaging. Also featuring a crackling supporting performance by Emily Watson (
Breaking the Waves) as Warne's sister Millie.
--Bret Fetzer
Synopsis
In the biopic MISS POTTER, Academy Award winner Renee Zellweger (COLD MOUNTAIN) steps into the dainty shoes of best-selling children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. Set in Victorian England, the film follows Potter’s life, from a little girl with a wild imagination and a fascination for woodland animals to an independent young woman in pursuit of a career in illustration and storytelling, despite the urging of her domineering mother to follow in her footsteps in high society. After struggling to find a publisher who would take her ideas and talent seriously, Miss Potter finally lands a deal with Frederick Warne & Company. While working diligently on her debut book, THE TALE OF PETER RABBIT, she falls in love with the youngest of the Warne brothers, Norman (Ewan McGregor, MOULIN ROUGE), and the two become secretly engaged. They continue to work together on the follow-up books, a franchise that would not only make her a household name, but one of the most beloved authors of all time. Zellweger lights up the screen with her portrayal of Potter, revealing that the woman who hid behind the children’s books led a fascinating and sometimes dramatic life. The film celebrates Potter’s creativity and innovation, illustrating how she was a woman ahead of her time who--despite her high social standing--still took pleasure in the simple things in life. Zellweger and McGregor reprise the tremendous on-screen chemistry they shared in DOWN WITH LOVE, and Emily Watson (BREAKING THE WAVES) delivers a fantastic supporting-role performance as Norman’s sister Millie.
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