What do English icons Beatrix Potter and Bridget Jones have in common? Renée Zellweger, of course.
The Texas native has somehow earned special status to play British characters at will, large and small, despite some outrage. American regularly playing British roles? Heartlessly robbing British actors of pay cheques?
But, then she goes and wins everyone over with heartfelt, clever and charming performances.
To Zellwegger’s everlasting credit, no other ‘foreigner’ hits that plummy upper crust London accent on the head as reliably as she does.
Zellweger put the twinkle – and pounds – on Bridget Jones twice. Now she has Beatrix Potter in her sights.
Zellwegger may be the most respected British role thief, shaming Madonna, Jerry Hall, and Gwyneth Paltrow in their thespian efforts, and giving Gillian Anderson a run for the money.
Zellwegger plays beloved children’s author Beatrix Potter as a kind of pre-feminist agitator and nature lover, which may be a stretch.
She did have an actual job against the wishes of her upper middle class mother and become engaged to a mere ‘tradesman’ – her publisher, played by Ewan McGregor.
And she certainly did donate 4,000 prime Lake District acres and 15 farms to the English on her death in 1942.
But it’s not likely the real Miss Potter was as enthusiastically rebellious as this fine film suggests. Society at that time didn’t have much tolerance for noisy, single women who talked to animal drawings.
But such speculation makes for a more easily understood and digestible drama so no fault, no fowl. (Sic)
Potter’s wonderful, airy drawings of her ‘friends’, the animals she created, thread the film together. She led a life of isolation in her parents’ attic, and those drawings were her only friends.
It is not remotely sad; Miss Potter was devoted to her art.
Director Chris Noonan makes wise use of Potter’s artwork, enough to get the idea across, and not so much that it is too cute and dilutes the drama of the piece.
Still, the drawings are petty powerful, stirring up pangs of nostalgic recognition. It’s remarkable watching Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddleduck and Mrs. Tiggy Winkle take their first breaths.
And breathe they do, delightfully and unexpectedly.
The film is unexpectedly powerful, as the dramatic events of Miss Potter’s life unfold. She experienced dramatic highs and lows and Zellwegger easily accommodates her.
There are moments of pure cinematic kismet as Potter finally understands that she is a success, that she may marry, that she is a landowner – bliss for us because Zellwegger delivers as though she is learning these things for the first time, too.
Miss Potter is intelligent, measured, pretty, emotional, nostalgic, charming and complete. Credit to Potter’s boundless imagination, Zellwegger’s performance and the gorgeous landscapes of the Isle of Man and the majestic Lake District.
Hats off to Chris Noonan.
And all hail Miss Potter’s tiny friends.
Miss Potter
Opened UK January 5, 2007. MPAA: Rated PG for brief mild language.
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