I automatically liked this movie before I saw it. It's about Walt Disney, one of my favorite figures in film history. It stars one of my favorite unknown actors, Olan Rogers (whom I've watched since the Balloon Shop days--a down-to-earth, humble, and wonderfully talented actor and writer). And it's an independent film that is true to the "independent" label--no big name studios or huge money are involved here. It's literally a small group of people who just really really want to make a movie.

Most of the cast are untrained actors, and it is painfully obvious (particularly in the first half of the film). It was a struggle to watch the actors bumbling through their lines, particularly the children and Mark Stuart (Elias Disney) with his obviously put-on breathy delivery. The rushed pace of the editing and the over-reliance on narration nearly made me and my family fast forward through the first act. But we continued on, past the frustratingly amateur dialogue and delivery, through the overload of B-shots, and enduring the stiff and unrealistic pace of dialogue editing.

Then, Olan Rogers and Ryan Dunlap burst on to the screen, and the entire tone of the film changes. It is literally magic when these two actors pop into view--the dialogue improves dramatically, the acting is refreshingly better, and even the dialogue editing experiences a marked improvement. (The jarringly fast editing changes to a more realistic editing style that takes its time, pausing for drama and allowing the actors to inhabit their characters.) The remaining 2/3 of the film are not perfect by any means, but it certainly is worth the watch. The beauty of the cinematography compliments the talented actors, and the rest of the film is satisfying.

All in all, certainly not the best movie I've ever seen, and not even the best fully-independent film I've viewed. But it is definitely enjoyable, even if only for the joy of watching people making a movie that they love--something I'm sure that Walt himself would be proud of.

Yes the acting was somewhat played by cardboard actors and actresses who were obviously gathered together rather quickly with little preparation to memorize their lines. As a result it leaves us the viewers with an initial impression that it is a lousy film. Instead, since the film was not just about Walt Disney's growing years and his hungry years as a very young artist I must emphasize it was just as much about his big brother Roy's early life. I suggest you give the story a full view to understand what the director and writer were attempting to portray.

Try and ignore the subtle religious overtones but accept we are witnessing a simpler time in the first quarter of the 1900's and we are viewing the Disney families real life and series of events of the early 1900's. The Disney family was struggling to make a living as were most families in the pre-World War 1 days. Walt was born in 1901 and the Disney families ties as devout Congregationalist Christians is obvious throughout the film. I wanted to learn as much about Walt's early life as possible as his story of his Disney empire is intriguing. As the film focuses on Walt's earliest days moving from his birth place of the big city Chicago to the countryside in Marceline, Missouri and then back to the big city of Kansas City, Missouri, we learn about Walt's families financial struggles which is where we also learn about Walt's never ending positive attitude as a dreamer and with an aptitude for drawing that allows his surrounding world to be his canvas.

If you are wanting to see that magical moment when Walt actually becomes successful with such film classics as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs or how he created Mickey Mouse then this film is not for you. Rather, this film focuses on the Disney family unit and the early influence his Aunt Margaret embedded in his heart and mind by bringing him his first tablet and coloring crayons which she always encouraged him with words of how talented Walt was.

Upon reviewing this film as a whole I do get it. No this is not a film of high quality with actors the caliber of Clooney, DeCaprio and/or DeNiro but the essence of a young Congregationalist Christian from Marceline, Missouri who was a caring and loving brother and future employer speaks well of Walt's early upbringing and of the film's ability to portray a young dreamer at the turn of the 20th century who came in to a bleak world and had a vision to make the world a much happier place which allowed people to laugh and cry in a secure and wonderful imagined film after film.

Overall, I liked it even with the cardboard acting and religious overtones because the story is real. That story being the early childhood and working years of a hungry and struggling artist named Walt Disney. I give the film a 6 out of 10 rating.

OK.. like everyone else says, REALLY BAD ACTING. I mean saying that this is a B-rated movie is almost an insult to B-Rated Movies. The only thing make me think that it could be a Walt Disney-like film is the Narrator. He's a bit simplistic and over-the-top too (making it sound like a documentary).

I could almost look past that and try to enjoy the story. But, bad editing is hard to look past without laughing. For those that are curious as to what I mean...

Answer me this, (26:09) who is the guy in the black shirt watching Mr. Disney talking to his boys about the paper route? Director maybe?

How did this movie even make it to the public. Wow.. Walt Disney is probably rolling in his grave.

I would be surprised if it doesn't somehow lead to litigation.

Overall, it's just too bad that they just didn't care to make it worthwhile and memorable to honor the life of a man that has bought so much joy.