Walt avant Mickey

Not to put too fine a point on it- this is one of the worst movies I've seen in a very long time.

I wish I could get back the $ I spent to watch this on OnDemand. The acting is painful, the pacing is leaden, and the dialogue reminds one of that written for the sixth grade Christmas play. I dozed off several times and didn't even miss anything.

About the only praise I can come up with is that the cast are pretty much all really good looking. And the guys who play the supporting team of animators in the early incarnation of the Disney studios work very hard and almost succeed in making their scenes compelling. But it's not enough to overcome either the uninspired earnestness of the guy playing Walt Disney, or the atrocious dialogue. Every scene drags. Every. Scene. It very much screamed 'inexperienced director'.

There is a good story lurking underneath here. But it's not told in this particular film. It's especially egregious that they gloss over the fundamental dishonesty of a man who lies to and manipulates his employees to keep them churning out work, with the goal of achieving his own dream. It's not an admirable thing to steal work from an employee- particularly when it's being made clear that those employees are suffering as a result. A skilled filmmaker could have drawn drama out of this scenario; a lot could have been made of the irony of a man trampling all before him to bring the world... Mickey Mouse.

Hopefully, this story will someday get the treatment it deserves. It does not get it here. Which is unfortunate, because apparently most of those involved in this project were also the ones bankrolling it, and they all seem like nice people.

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.

With the Hollywood machine pounding out flesh-eating, filthy, violent, promiscuous stories by the hundreds each year, it's refreshing when anyone comes along and is willing to take on a "politically incorrect" story about ordinary human beings. Walt was not a super-hero, and this earlier look at his life gives us plenty of thoughtful insight into his character (flaws included), and his tough beginnings. If we want, we can tear apart the acting, the writing, the filming. But I don't want to do that. Here's the simple fact. If a movie doesn't have gore and sex a-plenty, then the big studios will NOT even look at it. With the exception of course of the "art" films that toe the Hollywood line of bull, and satisfy the Academy's lust for twisted entertainment.

Sorry, but I like the story. And as a professional musician, I say this. People might like it if they actually shut off their "fast- paced critical mindset" and tried to open their minds up to the fact that not everyone has to buy into what's currently worshiped by the "sheople" in the crowds. That's how music is. I don't have to like every sound in the performance to love the song. Sometimes the song is enough.

In this case, I'd recommend this to any family, any adults, anyone younger, as a true look at an influential man's beginnings, and how he got his start bringing joy to others.

I have to confess, I'm a sucker for true stories of people overcoming great odds to do worthwhile stuff. And when you consider the obstacles (Disney's father was actually a lot stricter and demanding than the movie depicted) and the lovable creations he gave the world, done with groundbreaking methods and an undying focus on quality, I of course am drawn to watch this movie. It was, as some of the other reviewers noted, slightly disappointing in some ways...where maybe it missed some humanity in favor of melodramatics. I think it was a little too focused on the details of the financial challenges of the early years (half as much time would have been good). And on the flip-side, there were very telling stories from his childhood, published in well-regarded biographies, that weren't even mentioned...things that obviously fueled his passion to eventually create the happiest place on earth.

But on the other hand, the piece that seemed the most incredulous to me (the mouse that seemed to be more of a friend than a pet) turns out to be real (based on authorized biographies and accounts of the family). However, it looks like the scene in the alley with the cop was made up, which gets back to the unnecessary dramatics that aren't nearly as compelling as the truth.

All in all, I agree with the other reviewers that it's the actual true story that is the draw...not so much the handling of it. (Possibly a larger budget would have helped.) At any rate, because of the amazing heart, vision, tenacity, and legacy of the person, it's still worthwhile (for me) to watch.

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.