The trailer for Miss Potter did not do the film justice at all. It seemed to imply a portrayal of Beatrix Potter as a mad woman. It showed her talking to her animal drawings as though they were real people and it did not manage to convey the film’s appealing features. I think this may be the reason the film did not do as well as it should have done on its release, as it did not do its job in attracting viewers. I am happy to say that Miss Potter is actually a charming film which beautifully tells the story of the famous children’s author Beatrix Potter (Renee Zellweger). She does not come across as crazy, but actually seems to be a highly intelligent woman who was born years ahead of her time.

The first scene made me worry that the film was going to be a bit silly, as Beatrix does refer to her animal drawings as her friends and seems to be quite serious. My worry soon passed though, as it soon becomes clear that Beatrix merely possesses an incredibly lively and fun imagination which she has no wish to hide. Renee Zellweger surpasses herself in the role of Beatrix Potter. She gives the character a magical quality that makes it easy to understand why she was a children’s author. When she reads aloud some of her stories, she seems to get genuinely carried away in the excitement of story-telling, and her passion is infectious. Zellweger didn’t appear to be wearing much make-up for the role either, or was wearing make-up specifically designed to make her look quite plain. Despite this though, she has a glow about her in some scenes, which I can only assume was either due to incredibly impressive lighting techniques or incredible acting.

Miss Potter take us through an important point in Beatrix Potter’s life. It is the point at which her first novel is published and it also covers the first time she falls in love. Beatrix Potter grew up in Victorian London and her family had inherited money. She was expected to do as her mother had done and marry a man who was born into money and who would enable her to keep her social status. Beatrix never desired this though and up until her thirties believed she would never marry. We see her have a change of heart though when she meets Norman Warne (Ewan Mcgregor), as she find she has feelings for him beyond her control. As a publisher though, Norman makes his money through working, and therefore Beatix’s parents do not consider him to be her equal. The couple decide to keep their engagement a secret until they can make her parents think otherwise, but a tragic event puts an end to their romance and forces Beatrix to rethink her plans.

Miss Potter also gives us a glimpse into what Beatrix’s later life was to involve, as it shows her moving to the Lake Districts. This is where she famously invested her money into the countryside in order to maintain the beauty of the landscapes. We see how her love for the lakes develops and inspires her stories. The Lake Districts turn out to be the love of her life and she finds she is happier there than she ever was in the big city of London.

Miss Potter was a moving film. I found myself genuinely caring for the characters and hoping all would turn out well for them.

Dir: Chris Noonan

Starring: Renee zellweger, Ewan Mcgregor, Emily Watson

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