Walt avant Mickey

After watching this movie, I have very mixed feelings. A part of me loved the movie for its story and the atmosphere. The other part of me is disappointed because I don't feel like it fulfilled its true potential. Many of the characters felt shallow and without depth, and the actors were just acting. There wasn't too much feeling in their performances, and the dialogue never felt natural or relaxed.

But to be honest, I'd easily watch it again. I don't know why, I just didn't think it was THAT bad. Many people put a lot of hours and hard work behind this movie, the least I can do is try to appreciate it for what it is and see the positive sides of it.

Who better than teen movie "American Pie"'s own Thomas Ian Nicholas to play one of the most celebrated, influential, and history-changing personalities of all time, the creator of Mickey Mouse himself, Walt Disney?

In a casting choice that I'm sure will baffle most, Nicholas, with his boyish good looks (or despite them) is most surely not the right choice for the role. But it's not "Walt Before Mickey's" only pitfall, even if it's the worst.

As a whole, the movie feels flat, uninspired, and at times downright depressing, bordering on awful late night soap opera drama from old days that have since been forgotten.

There's no one of particular note on the cast, the story (as often happens with biopics) feels rushed, while at times slumping away, and the final product just feels very unfinished. (The sound people in particular, it seems, couldn't have cared less edgewise.)

Which is actually sad, considering the subject matter at hand: the rise of an immensely prominent figure, not just in the United States, but across the world. There simply wouldn't have been a "Snow White", a "Cinderella", and countless other animated works of fiction that brought a whole genre to the mainstream and made Disney the household powerhouse that it is today, were it not for Walt Disney.

I checked the IMDb rating before even watching the movie, and was rather surprised. "How can it possibly be so poor, given the subject?" And alas, unfortunately it is.

So other than Tom Hanks' "Saving Mr. Banks", which deals with a more advanced stage in Walt Disney's career, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for a movie that will actually pay a worthy homage to the man himself, and will be heralded in movie history as such.

While I love the idea about Walt Disney's life before he and Ub Iwerks came up with Mickey Mouse, I am a little apprehensive about wholly endorsing this or any other film. After all, the Disney Corporation has carefully sanitized Walt and created an idealized image of the man over the years. Don't get me wrong...he was a GREAT man...but Disney has had a history of over-idealizing the guy...and, conversely, some jerks have tried to make money saying Walt was practically the Antichrist (I've read two smear books like this)! So exactly how true all the details are...well, that's not an easy thing for me or anyone to say. But it was entertaining and at least mostly true (if not completely true). I know that Walt's father was not the nicest man on Earth and Walt did have a horrible time financing his initial films...so at least these and many other details rang true in the picture.

The movie is a dramatization of Walt's struggles mostly from when he first went to work as an animator. His earlier life is only alluded to very briefly. It's a shame, as I was interested in his life before he became a professional animator. Some of the film was very close to Walt's life (such as his struggles with money and financing as well as his staff and Oswald being stolen by Mintz) and some of it just seemed patently absurd--such as Walt keeping a pet mouse in his pocket as an adult (I sincerely doubt this is true) and Walt not holding a grudge against Mintz for stealing and almost destroying him (this could not be true). As for the second case, Walt was famous for holding grudges and after finally setting a long and costly strike with animators in the early 40s, he promptly fired many of these people and vowed to not rehire them! The film also idealizes his relationship with Iwerks who left Disney for several years in the 1930s to start his own studio...and this isn't mentioned. Still, if you don't mind being given 'the party line' the film is enjoyable and MOSTLY truthful...mostly.

I must admit reading all these reviews I don't understand all the hate. I understand it's a very low budget movie and being about Walt Disney we expect a little more. This movie is not actually made by Disney. It focuses on Walt Disney's struggles and how he would never give up. Myself being a huge Disney fan found it very interesting. I don't think I would watch it again, but I'm glad I watched it I thought it was decent.

It was somewhat interesting to learn of the struggles Walt Disney went through in his early life.

It made me want to read more about the story.

They made some interesting choices with casting.

It's always good to learn about how people struggle before they become famous.

Wholesome story.

The sets and costumes looked very realistic for the vintage times.

I learned quite a bit watching the movie.

It would be nice to see a follow up movie and take up where they left off.

I liked watching a good moral story such as this.