We Bought A Zoo
This one is definitely not a movie to rent. Buy it. I promise your family will watch it again and again.
Based on the true story of Benjamin Mee and his family, this family favorite follows Benjamin and his two children – a sullen adolescent boy and a wistful young girl – as they seek to find a new life following the death of their wife and mother. The perfect house comes with a catch (and a tiger): a zoo that has fallen into disrepair. The family must work together to understand each other, ready the zoo for its opening, or lose everything.
There are two scenes I use when I teach about parenting. One focuses on Benjamin’s willingness as a father to do what he can to show his love to his children and the other focuses on Dylan, the eldest child, and his the frustration he experiences in talking to his dad. Both are inspiring and scenes you will talk about long after the movie is over.
Watch the movie with your own children and then be ready to talk about the sacrifice parents – and children – sometimes have to make for others. Make the connection about your willingness to sacrifice for your children and the unconditional love you have for them.
A great Lenten connection!
Runtime: Rated PG (for language and some thematic elements)
USCCB — A-III
71% on Rotten Tomatoes
IMDb Parents Guide