The Magic Faraway Tree Brings Enid Blyton's Classic to Cinemas with Charm
For parents who grew up with Enid Blyton's beloved stories, there is a special joy in sharing them with a new generation. While some childhood favorites like the Jennings books or Malory Towers novels might not translate across decades, The Faraway Tree series has made a triumphant leap to the big screen in The Magic Faraway Tree (U, 110 minutes).
A Modern Take on a 1940s Classic
Directed by Ben Gregor and written by Simon Farnaby, who co-wrote the delightful Paddington 2, the film successfully updates Blyton's 1940s stories for contemporary audiences. The creative team has found a relatable modern context while preserving the magical essence of the original tales.
The story follows Polly Thompson (Claire Foy), an inventor who quits her job on principle, and her husband Tim (Andrew Garfield) as they move their family to a remote barn to reconnect with nature. Their children present familiar modern challenges:
- Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), a sullen teenager discussing "the oppression of the patriarchy"
- Joe (Phoenix Laroche), obsessed with gaming devices
- Fran (Billie Gadsdon), an elective mute with a powerful imagination
Magical Characters and Enchanted Lands
Fran's imagination catches the attention of Silky the fairy (Nicola Coughlan), who introduces her to the dangerously enchanted Faraway Tree. The tree, as book lovers will recall, houses a wonderful array of characters:
- Moonface (Nonso Anozie)
- Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns)
- Mr Watzisname (Oliver Chris)
- Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning)
The tree transports Fran and her siblings to various magical lands, including:
- The Land of Spells
- The Land of Goodies
- The Land of Back-to-Front
- The Land of Know-Alls (featuring cameos from Lenny Henry, Michael Palin and Simon Russell Beale)
Wholesome Entertainment with Classic Echoes
While Tim attempts to commercialize his homemade pasta sauce below, adventures unfold in the tree above. The film carries distinct echoes of classic children's films like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory (1971), blending wholesome entertainment with genuine darkness through villains like Dame Snap (Rebecca Ferguson) and the children's formidable grandmother (Jennifer Saunders).
Perfectly timed for the Easter holidays, The Magic Faraway Tree delivers an oak-solid family treat that will delight both children and the adults who remember the original stories.
Splitsville Explores Open Relationships with Mixed Results
Splitsville (15, 104 minutes) takes audiences back to the relationship comedies of the 1960s and 1970s, exploring the phenomenon of open marital relationships. Written by Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino, who also direct and star, the film follows best friends Carey (Marvin) and Paul (Covino) and their respective wives Ashley (Adria Arjona) and Julie (Dakota Johnson).
The film adopts a determinedly jaunty tone with one-liners and slapstick moments that prove somewhat hit-and-miss. While never reaching the comedic heights it aspires to, Splitsville bowls along engagingly enough, featuring jokes about Abraham Lincoln, Walt Disney, Malcolm Gladwell, Meatloaf and the Tom Cruise film Vanilla Sky.
Also Showing This Week
They Will Kill You (15, 94 minutes)
In the latest horror offering, Zazie Beetz plays Asia, a woman who escapes her abusive father but is racked with guilt for leaving her younger sister behind. A decade after attempting to kill her father and serving jail time, Asia tracks her sister to a Manhattan hotel run by a creepy cult.
The film begins with moderate suspense but quickly descends into abject silliness, with preposterous violence and ropey CGI undermining any serious intentions. Despite a cast including Patricia Arquette and Tom Felton, They Will Kill You fails to deliver genuine scares or coherent storytelling.
Two Prosecutors (12A, 118 minutes)
This Russian-language film offers a gripping and powerful exploration of justice during Stalin's 1937 purges. Brilliantly directed by Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa, the film follows a young, fair-minded state prosecutor who discovers that principles of justice are no match for a corrupt regime where "experts are substituted by ignorant charlatans."
Winner of a prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival, Two Prosecutors presents a unsettling historical drama with clear modern-day parallels, relying on implied violence rather than graphic depictions to create tension.
All films reviewed are currently showing in cinemas nationwide.
