There are some movies that are made for the sole purpose of being able to be enjoyed by everyone. And that is the new Disney flick, The Odd Life Of Timothy Green.
TG is a mix of topical subjects in our lives that face young parents today with a bit of fantasy, and make believe tossed in. And in its own way, it works. This is certainly not my favorite flick of the year but it does have some real niceties about it.
TG stars Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton as a young married couple that live in this fabulous farmhouse in rural America. They are desperate to have a baby, but medically it is impossible and this causes great pain for our couple. So on the night they receive the final bad news that no more can be done, they drink some wine and write down all the great qualities that their child would have if they could have one. They then take those written down pages and place them in a wooden box and plant it in the garden.
That night a heavy rain comes, and through the storm a miracle happens. A young 10 year-old boy, Timothy, appears out of seemingly nowhere and claims he is their son. He came from the garden, and the box is gone. Through their bewilderment, they accept Timothy and try to integrate him into their lives. But who exactly is Timothy? And where did he come from, and what will they learn from him? And why is he there? And maybe the most important quesstion, how long will be be in thier lives?
The Timothy character is very much like "Bagger" in The Legend Of Bagger Vance from years ago. Or "John Coffee" from The Green Mile. Characters that bring more questions to the movie than actual answers. Sort of mythical, supernatural in spirit. TG the movie then goes on to take on some pretty weighty issues facing young parents today, and the challenge of raising kids children. And for the most part - this works.
A few really indisputable things about this movie are really in its favor. Being married and a parent has really been good to Jennifer Garner as an actress. Garner has realized that you can't be that bombshell from Alias forever. She has grown nicely into deeper roles lately that define who she is on screen and in real life. She is wonderful as the young, loving, maybe overprotective mother who tries her best to be the best mom she can "on the spot." Edgerton is really becoming a fine actor in each new movie he makes. I loved his performance in Warrior last year, and he won me over there.
The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. Great movie going for the entire family. No action, no animation, no cartoons. This is a nice family movie - well done.
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