Miss Potter

Several friends had spoken very highly to me of the film Miss Potter, and last week I finally bought it - on eBay! (I didn't get to catch it when it was out at the movies.) It arrived a couple of days ago. We all sat down together to watch it.

Now, I knew that it would be very good, but even so, Miss Potter managed to surpass all my expectations. It's a simply delightful film!

Based on the story of the life of Beatrix Potter, author of the Peter Rabbit books, the movie begins in London in 1902. Beatrix (played by Renee Zellweger) is working hard to get her children's picture book published. She has always loved drawing and telling stories.

Defying the expectations of the Edwardian society in which she lived, Beatrix has never married; and now, at the ripe old age of two-and-thirty, her mother has despaired of ever marrying her daughter off! But being single has allowed Beatrix to concentrate fully on her work; and besides none of the "suitable" prospective husbands presented to her by her mother have taken Beatrix's fancy.

That is until she meets Mr Warne (Ewan McGregor), the the man who has been given the charge of getting her book published by his firm. Friendship blossoms into love even as Beatrix's literary career flourishes.

Then a major blow hits, threatening to pull her life apart.

As I said before, Miss Potter is a delightful movie. On every count - acting, musical score, script, costumes, artistic values. . . it scores very well.

Renee Zellweger did a nice job handling the lead role - most of the time. I do think that she smiled to much, particularly in the first half of the film - but so what, she managed to inject real feeling and grit into her character. Lucy Boynton, too, does very well playing the young Beatrix Potter - Boynton also plays Margaret Dashwood in the BBC's recent adaptation of Sense and Sensibility.

This isn't just a charming little story about a charming little woman who wrote charming little picture books and lived happily ever after. There is heartbreak and disappointment, but ultimately Miss Potter is inspiring and uplifting, and immensely satisfying.

Recommended for anyone who enjoys a good story well told. If you're looking for action, and epic adventure with people being blown to bits, etc., you won't find it here. What you will find is an absolute gem of a film about one woman's quest to find purpose in life and leave a legacy to the world.

Trailer below. . .