Cameron Crowe talks about 'emotional' story in 'We Bought A Zoo'

Cameron Crowe wanted to create a unique experience for moviegoers with his latest film "We Bought A Zoo."

The movie stars Matt Damon as Benjamin Mee, a widower with two children who purchases a rundown zoo. The movie is based on the true story of Mee and his family, who run the Dartmoor Zoological Park in England.

Crowe told OnTheRedCarpet.com special correspondent George Pennacchio of KABC Television that he wanted to "tell an emotional story that kind of sneaks up on you and creates a feeling."

He added, "It's a new thing for me. I've never quite made a movie like this."

Crowe is best known for writing and directing movies like "Almost Famous" and "Jerry Maguire."

"My goal is that you go see a movie and it feels like you're eavesdropping on real life," Crowe said of the film's dialogue. "You know, I think you know the difference when a movie sounds like 'movie people' talking living a movie life!"

The writer and director also talked about what it was like finding new talent for his films. "We Bought A Zoo" also stars 7-year-old Maggie Jones as Rosie Mee. Jones has a few film credits under her belt including the recently released "Footloose" remake.

"It's a huge, fun thing when somebody walks in out of their little town someplace with a dream of being in the movies and you just kind of say, 'come along on our journey,'" the director said about finding young actors. "Maggie Jones from Atlanta, you've never been in a movie before. come along, we're going to introduce you to some actors and Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson and we're going to create a little family and we want you to do exactly what you did when just walked into our room to audition in front of the cameras."

"Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't," he added. It's my favorite thing, you know, because you can see all their kind of excitement and the newness of the experience and it reminds you of somebody you know."

"We Bought A Zoo" hit theaters on December 23. Check out the trailer below.

Reporting by George Pennacchio of KABC Television, parent company of the entertainment show "On The Red Carpet" (check for local TV listings). (Copyright ©2011 OnTheRedCarpet.com. All Rights Reserved.)

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