By Parul Sharma & Andrea Oldereide,

36 minutes ago

Chris Noonan's 2006 biographical period drama, Miss Potter, traces the life and career of the cherished children's author Beatrix Potter. Featuring animated sequences of beloved characters from her globally recognized children's tales, Miss Potter weaves anecdotes and experiences from Beatrix Potter's own life into a heartwarming narrative for the screen.

Penned by Richard Maltby Jr. , the Tony Award-winning director of the Broadway musical revue Fosse, Miss Potter stars Renée Zellweger in the lead role, with Ewan McGregor portraying her fiancé and publisher, Norman Warne, and Lloyd Owen playing the part of Beatrix Potter's solicitor, William Heelis.

Miss Potter raked in over $35.8 million worldwide, against a production budget of roughly $30 million. In recognition of Renée's stellar performance, the Bridget Jones Diary actress was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and a Saturn Award for Best Actress for the film.

The biographical drama brings the story of Beatrix Potter, the beloved author and illustrator of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, to the big screen, reports the Express.

Miss Potter delves into the trials and tribulations of Beatrix Potter, as she grapples with setbacks in publishing, conformity to societal norms, and the loss of loved ones.

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Despite these hurdles, Potter persevered and demonstrated unwavering inventiveness to solidify her standing as a celebrated author of children's stories. Critics have offered mixed opinions about Miss Potter, with a 68% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Renée and McGregor's on-screen presence was met with acclaim from one critic: "...boasts terrific work from both Renée and McGregor that's heightened by their palpable chemistry together.."

However, the movie didn’t impress all the critics, one stating that "Enchanting, perhaps, but a long, long way from meaningful."

With comparisons to acclaimed series Downton Abbey, a critic noted the cinematic take was "always accessible in a Downton-Abbey-goes-to-Play-School kind of way, as evidenced by Renée Zellweger's chipper portrayal of Potter as a bustle-skirted bundle of squinty smiles and sudden blushes."

One favorable review said Renée depicted Potter in a compelling manner: "Portraying a real-life hero can be a tough assignment. But Zellweger breezes through the role, flashing her puckish grin, talking in her soft, breathy voice and giving very human face to one of the most beloved figures of English letters."

Moviegoers had varied opinions on the film, with one praising: "Chris Noonan did an excellent job of keeping it authentic. Zellweger fits this perfectly, a truly unique character of her times.

"Amazing cinematography and a stellar cast, all outstanding in their character. Lovely to look at and filled with perseverance and true grit. Filled with fantastic ideas and wonder.

"Remarkable indeed". Yet another shared a less impressed view: "Extremely odd and extremely dumb.

"The script for this biopic is a mess." Renée took on the role of executive producer for Miss Potter for the first time in her career.

During an interview with IndieLondon, she shared her thoughts: "It was a terrible idea and I'll probably never do it again [laughs].

"No, I'm just joking. It was a really interesting learning opportunity and I asked the guys if they would be interested in that kind of partnership because I really wanted us to get through creatively with these guys.

"They said OK, so we did." In sheer adoration of Miss Potter, a fan expressed: "It's one of my favorite movies - I would watch it over and over again. It's very sweet and charming.

"I love how brave and enchanting she was." Conversely, one critic was straightforwardly blunt regarding Renée's performance as Beatrix Potter: "Renée Zellweger is a disaster.

"A totally artificial and preposterous performance."

Miss Potter is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.