While it's based on the memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee, the movie takes significant liberties with the actual events.
Here's what's different:
* The ending: In the book, the zoo doesn't open until after Benjamin's death. In the movie, it opens while he's still alive.
* The characters: Some characters are fictionalized or combined, and the relationships between characters are changed. For example, the "Kelly" character in the movie is a combination of two people from the book.
* The timeline: The movie condenses the events and makes them more dramatic, while the book recounts the experience in a more realistic and detailed way.
So, while the movie draws inspiration from the Mee family's experience, it is ultimately a fictionalized account.