Monday, September 10, 2012

THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN

http://youtu.be/tW0kpvf33HM?hd=1
No big blast battle scenes, no stupendous special effects, no special colorization, no 3D jump-out-at-you images...just a mild fantasy to touch the human heart. 
The movie starts with Cindy and Jim Green (played by Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) in an office applying to adopt a child. One of the interviewers wants to know why they have answered a question on their paperwork with the name “Timothy.” The two begin to tell their story and the tale is done in flashback scenes.  
 After the Green's are told they can’t have children, they begin a grieving process.  Jim comes up with an idea to write down all the things they imagine their child would be like. This part is so touching.  I think all parents imagine what their child would be like--artistic, musical, smart, funny, kind, intelligent--the dreams flow.  The couple even imagines specific things ("he will make the winning goal") and the cheering they do while "seeing" this happen brings a smile to your heart.  After all the notes are written, Jim and Cindy place them into a small wooden box.  The box is taken out to the garden and buried.  In a way it was like having a funeral for their dream of a child,and they hope this ceremony will allow them to move on. During the night a freak rain & thunderstorm hits their home and they end up discovering a young boy in their house, stark naked and covered in mud. He tells them he is Timothy and that he came from the garden. When they clean him up they discover that he has leaves growing on the lower part of his legs. Soon they come to an astonishing conclusion. This young boy is the embodiment of their dream child. He somehow grew from the dreams they had written down and placed in the box.  
Timothy is portrayed by CJ Adams and he does it so amazingly natural.  He is a rather gawky boy with an unstoppable optimism. He turns out to be artistic, sensitive, bad at sports, and completely unconcerned with peer popularity.  But he is attracted to a girl. Aren't all boys?

The object of his affection, Joni, is played by Odeya Rush. Joni is a bit secretive, creative and complex.  She is a beautiful person and you see her creative and sensitive side when Cindy discovers the secret place that Joni and Timothy have created.  Both play theri roles magically and so believably.
Timothy touches many lives, most importantly his parents.  He gives them a dream to create something new, which ends up being a saving grace for the pencil company and a town.  He gives them strength to stand up for themselves and for those they love.  He brings laughter to an old man, beauty to a harsh woman...he has a magic touch.
I do not want to give the entire movie away.  But I do want to tell you I think it is superb.  It weaves a tapestry of dreams, hopes, discoveries, and imagination.  Timothy moves Jim and Cindy to the discovery that they can be parents to a child.  They learn to not give up and move on but instead to move towards...hope.
Some of you may not understand what I received from this movie.  But I do hope you watch it with an open heart and discover the beautiful messages it delivers.  There is more than one.  What do you feel?

6 comments:

  1. I've been looking forward to this movie. It sounds like it's a great one.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Sounds magical and wonderful Rose, I will be looking forward to seeing it and hopefully soon.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I saw the trailer, and it seemed so wonderfully magical, I am glad to hear that it lives up to the promise they showed.

    I will look for it.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

    ReplyDelete
  4. I will bear the movie in mind. Thank you for coming by my blog and leaving comment, and I like yours and will add you to my blogroll.

    ReplyDelete
  5. A plant boy? I feel enchanted and a little spooked.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The trailers looked charming. Thanks for sharing your review.

    ReplyDelete