Saving Mr. Banks is not only a story about Walt Disney’s quest to obtain the filming rights to Mary Poppins, but also about the emotional connection author P.L. Travers had to her beloved story.

At the start, we learn that friendly and charming Walt Disney was courting the crusty old British author P.L. Travers for the filming rights to Mary Poppins for twenty years, after his daughters fell in love with her books. Finally, in 1961, P.L. Travers agreed to meet Disney to discuss his terms. Refusing to sign the contract right off the bat, she agrees to work with the Sherman Brothers (B.J. Novak and Jason Schwartzman), who wrote the music and lyrics, and screenwriter Don DaGradi (Bradley Whitford). After spending a fortnight in Los Angeles, she becomes outraged with Mr. Disney’s neglect to abide by her mandates and returns home. It is only after Mr. Disney digs into her childhood that he understands why Mary Poppins is considered family to Mrs. Travers, and it’s a much bigger story than the mere idea of a quirky and magical nanny.

Saving Mr. Banks illustrates how the beloved story of Mary Poppins is derived from P.L. Travers’ childhood, and she tells Mr. Disney that the story of Mary Poppins, and Mary Poppins herself, is family. Struggling with self-forgiveness from incidents in her childhood that she’s never been able to let go of, she is convinced that turning her beloved books into a film is only “a brick in [Disney’s] Magic Kingdom.” Despite what it may seem to Mrs. Travers, there is more to Mr. Disney’s conquest than meets the eye.

If the purpose of Saving Mr. Banks was to outline not only the childhood struggles P.L. Travers endured with her family, specifically her father, as well as the struggle Mr. Disney endured to receive the filming rights, then the film did exactly that. Although expectedly not every plot point was completely accurate (for instance, Mrs. Travers signed the film rights almost immediately in reality because she was determined for cash), Saving Mr. Banks still achieved the message it wanted to convey: that the story of Mary Poppins, one of the most loved films of the 20th Century, was a beast to emotionally tackle for P.L. Travers, as well as for the writers and Mr. Disney himself with the writing.

Through flashbacks to Mrs. Travers’ childhood, Saving Mr. Banks accurately depicts and outlines why exactly Mary Poppins was so near and dear to the authors’ heart, and why she was so originally reluctant to sign off on the filming rights. Although it could have easily been turned into a film about how much Walt Disney Productions loves themselves, Saving Mr. Banks’ script combines fun, witty, comical, and endearing moments, all which are themes also found in the beloved Disney film, and doesn’t necessarily convey Mr. Disney in the best of light at all times.

The script of Saving Mr. Banks was blacklisted in 2011, but was obviously and rightfully given a second chance and filming began in September 2012 – and the attempt at bringing the script to the big screen was more than successful and justified. The choice of casting Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as Walt Disney and P.L. Travers, respectively, was beyond brilliant. Both seasoned actors, their personal charisma translated perfectly to their characters: Walt Disney was an upbeat, friendly person who created his own empire, and P.L. Travers was a proper British lady who could frequently come across as crotchety, especially when reading through the script of Mary Poppins. Their chemistry was remarkable, and it’s very likely there are some Oscar nods for both of them this Awards season.

That being said, the supporting characters were also extremely well cast – both in terms of their acting ability and portrays, but also the wide variety of actors. As noted before, B.J. Novak, Jason Schwartzman, and Don DaGradi had large roles, alongside Paul Giamatti. In the flashbacks to P.L. Travers’ childhood, Colin Farrell stars as her loving, yet alcoholic father, and Ruth Wilson stars as her distressed mother. Mainly known for action or comedy films, his part in Saving Mr. Banks was clearly a much different role than Farrell typically plays – and he has never been better.

The script was a mix of light-hearted, serious, comedic, and tear jerking moments that perfectly entertained throughout the entire film. It’s likely that screenwriters Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith will receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Thomas Newman’s score was undoubtedly magnificent, and there were many times that he creatively combined his own original themes with the classic Mary Poppins tunes.

Saving Mr. Banks not only paints the beautiful story of how Mary Poppins came to be, but it will also unintentionally appreciate the 1964 film so much more. You’ll tap your toes, softly weep, and laugh out loud. Thompson’s performance alone makes the entire film worthwhile, but as your own memories of Mary Poppins come back, it will surely make you feel like a child and want to go fly a kite.

Grade: A-

Rated: PG-13 (for thematic elements including some unsettling images)

Saving Mr. Banks opens in theaters on December 13, 2013