by Shane Conto
Have you checked out the original films on Disney+ yet? There is a range from films that feel like they are Disney Channel Original Films, to films that are live action remakes of Disney classics that feel like they were meant to be in the theater but got dropped here instead. The latter is becoming more common as we got Artemis Fowl dumped on the streaming site this summer and have the ambitious premium priced Mulan coming very soon. But today we will discuss a new Disney original that was meant for the big screen, but will find its home here on Disney+ instead, The One and Only Ivan. Now, many of you may not have heard of this Disney venture quite yet, but I can promise you that it fits the bill of a live action Disney film. Why do I believe that? Well, you have CGI animals, all star casts, and orphans of course.
The One and Only Ivan tells the tale of a mall circus (many of you might be surprised to hear that something like this once existed…and some of you with a more recent birth date might wonder what a mall is in general).
The star of said circus is a majestic gorilla named Ivan. The ringmaster of this circus is your standard small business owner portrayed with class by Bryan Cranston and he conducts his show full of A-list voices from Angelina Jolie to Sam Rockwell to Danny DeVito. Thea Sharrock of Me Before You fame directs this live action film with the same charm and heart that she has injected into her previous work. One of the biggest positives this film has going for it is the fact that there is a strong moral compass at the center. The film has a classic look to it as well that works for it, especially with the vintage production design that brings the circus to life. The most impressive aspect of the film is just how realistic all of the animals look. Looking into a close-up of Ivan’s face you can see all of the impressive detail.
You might just think you are looking at a real gorilla…but he speaks with the charming twang of Sam Rockwell.
Mike White, the man who wrote the similarly charming and heartfelt School of Rock, lends his talents to the screenplay for The One and Only Ivan. When I looked this up after watching the film, I was not surprised at all. The amount of soul that inhabits this film might not reach the same levels of School of Rock, but it sure delivers enough to make this enjoyable. The real focus of the film is the group of animals that make up the circus. Rockwell’s Ivan is fun and definitely carries some baggage along the way. His tragic backstory, like any good Disney film, is poignant and really the heart of the film. Angelina Jolie gives a subdued but warm vocal performance and Danny DeVito provides some solid comic relief. Bryan Cranston, despite his character inhabiting a moral middle ground that makes it hard to fully support or find him completely unsympathetic, delivers an always reliable performance. In general, the impressive cast really bolsters the film for the better.
For the first half of the film, it is hard to really gauge what the messaging is.
Are we supposed to be happy that the animals seem to enjoy their life in the circus? Then do we make this complete 180 when the arrival of a cute baby elephant makes them all question their existence? Once we make this turn, the film really hammers home the messaging of animals should not be in captivity. Does it get extremely preachy? Sure does. Does it gloss over some of the darker aspects of the story? Sure does. Does the film still deliver a kind hearted and mostly effective family film? Sure does.
Grade: C+