Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- warm
- earnest
- sentimental
- family movie night
- rainy day
What critics said
Critics found the film cloying and formulaic but broadly appreciated its warmth and Matt Damon’s sympathetic central performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Benjamin’s effort to reopen and sustain the failing zoo parallels his attempt to help Dylan and Rosie recover from bereavement.
The family’s mourning is interwoven with the daily work of feeding, protecting, and preparing zoo animals for visitors.
Benjamin relocates his children to a countryside zoo, turning geographic withdrawal into a fresh start.
The plot and direction foreground heartfelt family reconciliation, perseverance, and openly emotional turning points.
Films like We Bought a Zoo, and why
The Family Stone
shared family drama, feel-good emotionality, rural setting, and themes of grief and renewal
Dan in Real Life
shared uplifting family storytelling, child-parent relationships, and sincere themes of healing after loss
The Blind Side
shared true-story inspiration, determined parent protagonist, and warm community-centered drama
Dolphin Tale
shared family-friendly animal setting, whimsical tone, and themes of perseverance and belonging
Movie Details
- Director
- Cameron Crowe
- Release Date
- 2011-11-26
- Runtime
- 124 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (3025)
Cast
- Matt Damon
- Scarlett Johansson
- Thomas Haden Church
- Colin Ford
- Maggie Elizabeth Jones
- Angus Macfadyen
- Elle Fanning
- Patrick Fugit
- John Michael Higgins
- Carla Gallo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Disney Plus, fuboTV, FXNow
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is We Bought a Zoo about?
- A grieving father wagers his family’s future on reviving a struggling zoo, discovering that animal care can become a route back to hope.
- What is We Bought a Zoo like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of We Bought a Zoo as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is We Bought a Zoo violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in We Bought a Zoo.
- What did critics think of We Bought a Zoo?
- Critics found the film cloying and formulaic but broadly appreciated its warmth and Matt Damon’s sympathetic central performance.
- Which films are like We Bought a Zoo?
- Films with a similar feel include The Family Stone, Dan in Real Life, The Blind Side, and Dolphin Tale.
- How long is We Bought a Zoo?
- We Bought a Zoo runs 124 minutes.
- Where can I watch We Bought a Zoo?
- In United States, We Bought a Zoo streams on Disney Plus, fuboTV, FXNow.
