THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN

RYAN: I’m thrilled my niece Gaby and nephew Noah were able to join me for the press screening of this film!  It was a little charming.  What did you think?

GABY: It was very cute and creative and very good.

NOAH: I thought it was sort of sad and happy at the same time.

RYAN: How is that?

NOAH: Because sometimes it was funny but then there was some stuff that was really sad.

RYAN: Alright.  There is a certain amount of magic in the story.  It’s a fairy tale.  It reminded me of, like, a spin on Tom Thumb in a way.  There are no witches or wizards but there is a measured amount of fantasy.

NOAH: I love fairy tales and magic.  So I liked that there was some pretty cool stuff in this, like the leaves on his legs.

GABY: I thought it was very interesting to watch and see how everything came together; it made sense in the end.

RYAN: I love Jennifer Garner and it’s nice seeing her on the big screen but this is not her best performance.  And I’m being kind.  She was too self aware.  It was, like, a high school performance; and now, I’m not being kind.  But I loved Dianne Wiest.  She was brilliant; small part.  I wanted more.

GABY: My favorite characters were the girl, Joni, at school and Timothy. I liked Joni because everybody saw her as someone who’s quiet but when she met Timothy… they began to make sense together, as friends.

NOAH: My favorite characters were Timothy and the soccer coach because he always inspired him.  I liked Timothy cause he’s the main character and also he reminded me of me and, well, I love green!  And I’m creative.

GABY: I think he isn’t very much like Noah because he’s much more calm than Noah is.

NOAH: That is true too.

RYAN: I was a little bored during this movie.  It was slow and long and there were moments where I thought, “Oh this is totally dragging.”

GABY: I thought it was a little boring but that was only because it’s not like an exciting action movie.  But it was a slow movie that I thought was really good.

RYAN: I would have enjoyed a bit more action or magic or even a bit of adventure.  It started off very whimsical but then falls flat.  And another thing I didn’t like was that it’s totally predictable.  About a quarter of the way in, it sets up a formula that just tells you what’s gonna happen for the rest of the movie.  That’s also why it was boring.

GABY: Exactly.  I had two things in mind for how the story could go and I was right about one of them.

NOAH: I didn’t think it was slow or boring.   And unlike my grandpa, who usually falls asleep during movies, this one didn’t make me sleep at all, so…

RYAN: Did you think it was predictable too?

NOAH: I was actually really surprised by the ending.

RYAN: Thematically it’s about families and parenting and adoption…

NOAH: That’s why it’s a family movie!!!

RYAN: [laughs’ Exactly.  Did it make you think at all about our family?

GABY: No because the people in our family aren’t anything like the people in the movie, really.

RYAN: Yeah we have quite a different family. 

GABY: And they’re not an ordinary family, either, because I think it’s somewhat rare when someone can’t have a child and gets one from the garden.

RYAN: [laughs’ That is a rare scenario.  There is a bit of romance to the film in the way it’s shot, the framing, the coloration.

GABY: I did notice the romance between Timothy and Joni and the mom and dad. 

RYAN: I have to point out how awful the costuming is in this movie; particularly Jennifer Garner’s character.  She looks so frumpy and fuddy-duddy.

GABY: Yeah like a grandma.

RYAN: So did you like it and do you think your friends would like it?

NOAH: I think I’d give this a rental because my friends would like it a little.  It’s a family movie that’s funny and also sad at times.  But you don’t have to see it in the theater.

GABY: I think it is a movie to see in the theater because I wouldn’t tell my friends to wait to see it.  The TV commercials make it look great… and it is!  I loved it.

RYAN: I agree with Noah that it’s more of a rental since it’s a quite, slow film.  But I see where you’re coming from also, Gaby.  Overall, it’s not a must see, but it’s, at the very least, a safe option for families.

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