The Odd Life of Timothy Green Movie Review

Rating:  2.5 Stars out of 5

The Odd Life of Timothy Green starts out in the picturesque town of Stanleyville, home of the #2 pencil and a quiet set of folks.   Cindy and Jim Green, who desperately want a child of their own, has just been informed that that will never be possible.  Now the two wishful parents must go about their lives, she working in the pencil museum, and he working at a failing pencil factory, dealing with a broken heart.

That night, in a fit of despair, the two decide to create a list of everything they would love in a child, and imagine living out each moment while they jot the concepts on pieces of paper, placing them in a box.  They bury the box in Cindy's garden,determined to put it behind them.  That night, in the midst of drought (and the first of many magical moments), there is a freak rain storm over, and only over, their home, and Timothy grows out of the garden to enter everyone's lives.

Some of the characters are delightful.  CJ Adams, who plays Timothy, is a sweet young actor.  Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton as his parents have nice chemistry, and I love how they play off the impracticability of their situation.  I also like Odeya Rush who plays Joni, Timothy's friend, though nothing is explained in regards to her characters: no parents or history, running around as a free spirit. She's just as mysterious as he is. Other characters, such as Jim and Cindy's bosses, quickly fall into stereotypes, and poor stereotypes at that, creating a cast that comes across two-denominational.  

The plot is also predictable and contrived.  There are sweet moments, but instead of being surprised by various plot points, I instead found myself watching the characters to see how they would react.  The climax of the film was anti-climatic.

What the film does have going for it is the beautiful cinematography and heart.  Nature and light is captured in a wonderful way, and I found myself wishing I lived in a place so innocent and safe with the ability to escape to the forest with no fear of harm.  And there are some really touching moments. 

The movie does celebrate family, and the need for family, and that's a very positive message.

Overall I'm glad I saw The Odd Life of Timothy Green, and many families will like the charm, but its a movie I'm happily content to see once.  It is a great movie to take the kids to see as they may learn a thing or two.  There's no such thing as the perfect child, but every child is important and special.

Sarah