REVIEW
Miss Potter is Left to Go It Alone . . . In More Ways than One

The movers and shakers of the entertainment industry are forever looking for that miracle of a plot, that script that takes us into a life of wonder and amazement, that character that lifts above the haze of normality into the heights of greatness.  They seek movies about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances that allow an audience to live in vicarious bliss for a couple of hours.  In essence, they seek one amazing story.

Miss Potter was unfortunately not that story. 

The film beautifully captures the imagination and courage of the determined Beatrix Potter, writer and illustrator extraordinaire.  It provides a telling glimpse into the difficulties and challenges surrounding the publication and distribution of some of the most beloved children’s books of all time.  However, beyond the inherent beauty and enchantment of Peter Rabbit, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail, there isn’t much more to this feel-good flick.

Renee Zellweger adeptly transforms herself into our prim and proper heroine.  She is both believable and moving as a 30-something British aristocrat choosing to earn her living rather than endure a loveless marriage.  Her accent rarely bobbles, her puckered lips scream of a fastidious sense of decorum and her usually flawless complexion, made red and ruddy, brings her quickly into the land of the living.  Ewan McGregor is spot on as usual in his bumbling but endearing portrayal of Norman Warne.  His contagious enthusiasm is fundamental not only in making Beatrix’s publication dreams a reality but in securing the author’s heart as well.  Emily Watson nicely rounds out the cast with her quirky but powerful rendition of Mille Warne, the unmarried spinster sister of Norman and the only true friend of Beatrix herself.  Her character is simultaneously sympathetic and repulsive – a feat only a great few can achieve.

And yet . . . despite the solid performances of this talented cast and the impending delight of a journey into the magical world of an artist, the movie still falters.  Why?  Why this growing discontentment despite gorgeous countryside views, historically rich interiors and gripping, believable performances?  Why a sense of boredom when everything seems to be going along just swimmingly?  The answer is simple. 

Beatrix Potter was not ordinary.  She, in the make-up of her personality and building blocks of her character, was extraordinary.  And the circumstances in which she lived were mundane . . . typical . . . ordinary.  Thus, while we find ourselves able to relate to the frustrations of her life – an overbearing mother, a society seemingly incapable of accepting her talents, a mind preyed upon by doubt and self conscious uncertainty - we find ourselves unable to relate to Beatrix Potter herself.  She isn’t one of us.  She’s a saint.

And that is where the movie takes its first but fatal misstep.  It is extremely difficult for an audience to care about, let alone go on a journey with, a person they can’t relate to.  Unfortunately, great performances, stellar directing and breathtaking cinematography can’t change the fact that Beatrix Potter’s life really has no place in the movie world.