The Magic Faraway Tree is based on the beloved series of novels by Enid Blyton, which predate C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia. These books are so popular in the U.K. that most school-aged children read them at a young age, but director Ben Gregor and writer Simon Farnaby, the latter known for the Paddington movies, weren’t afraid to give Blyton’s story a contemporary spin while keeping the enchanting, wondrous, and adventurous spirit that readers have loved for generations.
Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy reunite (they starred in Breathe together in 2017) in The Magic Faraway Tree as parents Tim and Polly Thompson. When a comical mishap causes Polly to lose her high-paying job in London, they take the opportunity to round up the kids, Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), middle kid Joe (Phoenix Larouche) and Fran (Billie Gadsdon), all obsessed with their gadgets and smart devices, and whisk them to the countryside. The children aren’t pleased. There, free-spirited Tim plans to grow tomatoes to open a pasta sauce business inside of their ramshackle new home. Little do they know, they are living next to an enchanted forest, and at its center is a massive, magical tree that leads to faraway worlds full off quirky characters such as the fairy Silky (played by Bridgerton‘s Nicola Coughlan) and the robust Moonface (Nonso Anozie). Of course, there’s also evil that lurks, with Rebecca Ferguson as the villainous Dame Snap.
The Magical Faraway Tree leans heavily into nostalgia and light-hearted fun, mostly through the unpredictable worlds that come and go with the tick-tock of a clock. It’s easy to see why kids would daydream of venturing to a world of snacks, or a world of birthdays where your every wish is granted. Even when the threat of danger looms, it never really feels like anything too serious is happening. It always feels like a pleasure trip for these kiddos, which separates this film from Narnia and Harry Potter, where the threats are often very mature. Garfield and Foy, who have starred in their share of very heavy dramas recently, seem to be having a blast with a film that allows them to smile, laugh, and be silly again.
On the one hand, it’s nice to have a movie that just wants to offer kids a joyful, whimsical experience. Older kids, and adults for that matter, might find The Magic Faraway Tree a bit unsophisticated for the same reason. That said, its message, about putting the devices down and experiencing the great, big, wonderful world that’s out there, is one that still resonates.
The Magic Faraway Tree opens August 21st from Vertical.
