The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Films based in fantasy are usually quirky with a element of subtlety to give it that unique flavor to distinguish it from the 'normal' films out there. As with the case of "The Odd Life of Timothy Green", this concept certainly rings true.

Academy Award nominated director/writer Peter Hedges ("Dan in Real Life" '07, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" '93) brings enchantment and fantasy to the screen with an inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) who can't wait to start a family, however cannot achieve this. After being told this awful news, they find themselves only dreaming about what their child would be like. So much so, that they write down all the attributes on slips of paper of what their child would be and buried them in a box out in the yard.
When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim and their small town of Stanleyville learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life's greatest gifts. Do people start changing because of Timothy, or does his simplicity of Timothy overwhelm them so as to cause them to change in the most subtlest of ways?

Others to round out the cast are Odeya Rush as Joni Jerome, good friend of Timothy's, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Michael Arden as Evette Onat and Doug Wert as officials interviewing the Green's for a possible adoption, Rosemarie DeWitt as Brenda Best, Cindy's sister, David Morse as James Green Sr., M.Emmet Walsh as Uncle Bub, Lois Smith as Aunt Mel, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Reggie, Dianne Wiest as Ms. Bernice Crudstaff, Cindy's stuffy, obnoxious boss, Ron Livingston as Franklin Crudstaff as Jim's boss, James Rebhorn as Joseph Crudstaff, husband of Bernice, and Common as Coach Cal.

Hedges wrote his screenplay based on Ahmet Zappa's story, and I would like to read the story, because there were some things that just didn't add up. Such as Where did Timothy come from?, and why couldn't this couple just have adopted a 'normal' child like any other couple? But this being a fantasy and to answer these questions would basically leave you without a film to watch, so I guess these questions would have to be left at the theater door. And, maybe this was the intent on the writer, so as to make this even more fantastical.

In any rate, it certainly was a solid film, with a solid cast. If for no other reason, to see veteran pros like Dianne Wiest, M.Emmet Walsh, David Morse, and Lois Smith was a joy watching them act so effortlessly. This was a quirky, interesting film with charm that will at least put a smile on your face.

Out of 4 stars: 3                     Rated: PG                     104mins.