THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nonso Anozie, Billie Gadsdon, Phoenix Laroche, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Nicola Coughlan, and Rebecca Ferguson
Director: Ben Gregor
AMARÚ
Andrew Garfield is such a charming actor, and kicking off The Magic Faraway Tree with his wondrous charisma gets you invested in the whimsical family adventure to come. The magic of imagination is on high display, creating some cool, fantastical lands and teaching impactful lessons about family and connection. There’s plenty of silliness to go around, so if that’s not for you, then neither is this film; however, the entire cast is all-in on the fun and fantasy, making for a heartfelt film for all ages to enjoy. Faraway Tree is a cute watch that I’d gladly show to the little one in my life.
ROBERT
The template for the ideal film is fluid, dependent on the genre it occupies. I think of the family films I grew up with, and those that resonated had a layer of darkness wedged in between the lighter themes. The Magic Faraway Tree lives in a land of blissful wonder, which may be fun for some but is rather goofy for me. I couldn’t help looking at Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, and especially Rebecca Ferguson and thinking that it was a waste of their talents and charisma. The message of “kids should use their imaginations more” wasn’t conveyed uniquely enough to not seem trite and, frankly, wooden.
