“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” is a warm and pleasurable
fantasy, the perfect family film that children and their parents will enjoy. Timothy
isn’t born and he isn’t adopted. It seems he grew in the garden and director
Peter Hedges, who also wrote the screenplay, wisely makes no attempt to explain
how this happened. His new parents have tried everything to conceive a child of
their own, but have been unsuccessful. One night, they decide to move on by
first listing the things their perfect child should have and then putting the
list in a box and burying it in the garden. After a torrential downpour,
there’s Timothy (CJ Adams), covered with mud and with leaves growing from his
legs. The Greens, Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgerton), are
obviously surprised, but eagerly welcome this beautiful little boy into their
home. During a family get together the following day, Timothy is so friendly
that people just accept him, especially his lovable Uncle Bob and Aunt Mel (M.
Emmet Walsh and Lois Smith). Things get a little complicated when the pencil
factory that Jim works at threatens closure.
The supporting cast is full of familiar faces, including
Dianne Wiest as the mean-spirited supervisor of the local Pencil Museum,
Shohreh Aghdashloo as an official of the state adoption agency, Ron Livingston
and James Rebhorn as the son and father who own the pencil factory and hop-hop
star Common as the soccer coach. Young CJ Adams is pitch-perfect, neither too
reserved nor too sweet and Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton are appealing
together as far from perfect parents. Director Hedges spins a fable of love and
life, told with real insight, warm humor and excellent filmmaking. And at a
time when most movies focus on special effects and action, “The Odd Life of
Timothy Green” will take you on a heart-warming journey and all will enjoy. 8/17/12
No comments:
Post a Comment