Over the past weekend, it was my pleasure to see “Saving Mr. Banks.”  The Disney movie is based on the true story of P.L. Travers’, the author of “Mary Poppins,” experiences while adapting her book into a Disney movie.

Tom Hanks (Walt Disney) and Emma Thompson (P.L. Travers) delivered phenomenal performances.  Hanks’ Missouri accent was very convincing and Thompson’s uptight rendition of P.L. Travers was believable as well.

Some critics are calling the film “sanitized.”  By this they mean that Hanks sugar coated Disney hiding his smoking habits and perhaps P.L. Travers was more uptight than she really was.  In all reality the movie was made in Hollywood and Hollywood almost always adds flare to movies based off true stories.  These minor tweaks were solely added for effect.

This film was surprisingly emotional, as I thought I was about to witness a classic cheerful Disney movie.

The film focuses on the long courtship between Disney and Travers.  The two have their disagreements about the making of the film.  Mrs. Travers will not sign the rights until she approves every little detail down to the color red as she states in the film, “I feel very anti red,” which, if you think about it, is totally ironic being that the film takes place in London…

The movie has a spoonful of flashbacks that show Mrs. Travers’ troubled childhood in Australia.  You discover throughout the film that the characters in “Mary Poppins” are based on P.L. Travers family; specifically, her father, “Mr. Banks.”  The flashbacks focus on her relationship with her father and how he was a good man, but an alcoholic as well.  The flash backs helped you see why Mrs. Travers wanted the film to be precise.

This movie is undoubtedly one of the best movies of 2013 and one that I strongly recommend.  Prepare yourselves to witness “Disney magic” and do not forget to bring tissues along.