Saving Mr. Banks

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Saving Mr. Banks is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 3,513 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Emma Thompson sets the tone, and the rest of the cast matches it scene for scene. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

There is a reason Saving Mr. Banks keeps coming up in conversation. Saving Mr. Banks does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Author P.L. Travers looks back on her childhood while reluctantly meeting with Walt Disney, who seeks to adapt her Mary Poppins books for the big screen. Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 2013. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Saving Mr. Banks holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Saving Mr. Banks is a strong candidate. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Emma Thompson's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.