We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Young Family, a Broken Down Zoo, and the 200 Wild Animals That Change Their Lives Forever

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Kelly is a great-looking woman (after all, she looks like Scarlett Johansson), but she's all business, dedicated to the welfare of the animals. She can see that Benjamin has a lot to learn. One of their first differences involves Spar, an old Bengal tiger who is in deep depression. (So would we all be, if we had to live alone for 16 years in an efficiency apartment.) Should Spar be put down? Kelly and Ben have an emotional debate. Benjamin takes Dylan and Rosie to the restaurant where he met Katherine. He tells them the story of how he worked up the nerve to approach her table with "20 seconds of insane courage." He visualizes her at the table, and asks why such an amazing woman would talk to someone like him. She responds, "Why not?" a b Chitwood, Adam (2011-12-19). "39 Songs Contend for Best Original Song Oscar; Nominees Include THE MUPPETS and CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER". collider.com . Retrieved 2011-12-27.

Matt Damon as Benjamin Mee, the father of Dylan and Rosie Mee, the owner of the zoo and the love interest of Kelly Foster, who is trying to restart his life after the death of his first wife, Katherine. [4] The Hollywood Reporter commented that the film "has heart, humanity and a warmly empathetic central performance from Matt Damon", although it "doesn't dodge the potholes of earnest sentimentality and at times overplays the whimsy"; ultimately concluding that "Cameron Crowe's film has some rough edges, but it ultimately delivers thanks to Matt Damon's moving performance."" [20] Home media [ edit ] But once the overall impact of the film was evident - that it was a good, positive message - even though it was factually a bit inaccurate, it was then just a question of answering lots of questions, the same questions, again and again in hotel rooms all across the world hoping it brought people to the zoo.Annual Young Artist Awards - Nominations / Special Awards". YoungArtistAwards.org. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012 . Retrieved July 23, 2018. We were silly enough to come and look at it, to rule it out," Benjamin said. "And, of course, we got caught up in the whole drama that, if it was going to close, which it looked like it was, most of the animals would be destroyed. So we pulled out all the stops and went through lengthy negotiations for about six months and managed to buy the zoo as a broken closed zoo without a license." Benjamin learns that Katherine bequeathed him an investment account with instructions to use the money wisely while listening to his heart. Duncan advises him to walk away and start over with the money, but Benjamin decides to use the money for the repairs. The song Gathering Stories was on the shortlist of 39 songs that had a chance of being nominated for Best Original Song Oscar at the 84th Academy Awards. [12] This song was co-written by Jonsi Birgisson and Cameron Crowe. [12]

More than 10 years after the film initially aired, it is still regularly watched by people across the world, and it still shown on TV, including this weekend on Channel 4 at 13:25 on Sunday, January 8. In the interim, Dartmoor Zoo became a charity, allowing them to accept more donations from kind-hearted visitors, and save money in other areas. As the film clearly points out, it is very expensive to run a zoo. The story of Dartmoor Zoo might be a familiar one, but there's always something new happening. Though the film We Bought A Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, came out over a decade ago, Zoo CEO Benjamin Mee says its still capturing new audiences. Rolling in the Deep' Rolls Away With Song of the Year at 2012 BMI London Awards". BMI.com. October 9, 2012 . Retrieved May 29, 2015.

Angus Macfadyen as Peter MacCreedy, the carpenter of the zoo who had made many innovative enclosures for the zoo, and he claims that his ideas were "stolen" by Walter Ferris. Because of this, he has a huge and violent grudge against Walter. Alzayat, Dima (20 December 2011). "On Location: Thousand Oaks ranch becomes animal sanctuary". Los Angeles Times. Knegt, Peter (December 14, 2011). " 'The Artist' Tops Phoenix Film Critics Awards". Indiewire . Retrieved July 15, 2012.

He added the experience was "hugely formative" for him at the time - knowing they didn't know how to run a zoo and having to learn on the job, they saw first hand the very real risk to people and animal's lives. a b c d Kit, Borys (2010-05-17). "Cameron Crowe to direct 'Zoo' ". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 2011-09-27.a b Fleming, Mike (2010-11-09). "Cameron Crowe Taps His 'Almost Famous' Alter Ego For 'Zoo,' And Elle Fanning, Too". Deadline . Retrieved 2011-12-29. Stéphanie Szostak as Katherine Mee, the deceased wife of Benjamin Mee and mother of Dylan and Rosie Mee. Rich, Katey (2010-05-17). "Cameron Crowe Commits To We Bought A Zoo For Late 2011 Release". Cinema Blend . Retrieved 2010-10-29.

Recently widowed Benjamin Mee (Matt Damon), still grieving his loss and dealing with school behaviour issues and the expulsion of his 14-year-old son Dylan (Colin Ford), decides to get a fresh start by buying a new house. After touring many houses with his daughter Rosie (Maggie Elizabeth Jones) and his realtor, Mr. Stevens (JB Smoove), and finding none to his liking, his daughter finds a paper with what seems like his perfect house. In August 2011, it was announced that Icelandic musician Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, the lead singer of the band Sigur Rós, would be composing the music scores for We Bought a Zoo. [11] Director Crowe described the choice as "only natural", since "Jónsi has been a part of the making of We Bought A Zoo from the very beginning". [11] Dargis, Manohla (2011-12-22). "A Modern-Day Ark, With Children, Animals and Even Romance". The New York Times . Retrieved 2011-12-29. Actually, they made a fairly sympathetic - a very sympathetic film. About 50 per cent of it you could relate to as factual. Then, you know, there's a lot of drama and it's a much shortened story. But it was extremely surreal to see it with my kids, and see Matt Damon on the screen." In real life, Benjamin's wife, Katherine, died after they had bought the zoo and moved in. [27] In the film, Benjamin bought the zoo after her death. In real life, Benjamin's father had died and his mother needed to move; the farm cost the same price as his parents' house, and his mother came too. [28] Benjamin and his family made a specific and informed decision to buy a zoo: in the film, it occurred as a result of finding a house they liked.The zoo scenes were filmed at Greenfield Ranch in Hidden Valley, Thousand Oaks, California, where a zoo was erected for the filming. [8] [9] Development [ edit ] Scarlett Johansson as Kelly Foster, the 28-year-old lead long-time zookeeper at Rosemoor Animal Park who is Benjamin's love interest and is a mother figure to Dylan and Rosie.