We used to have loads of this author’s books at home when we were kids, and I always thought her signature on the cover said Gnid, rather than Enid. Now fifty years or so later, her stories don’t always stand the test of time or attitudes, but this one is an entertaining fantasy that has been updated to take aim, fairly and squarely, at modern day obsessions with technology. The “Thompson” family have fallen on hard times and so have relocated to live in a ramshackle barn where dad “Tim” (an enthusiastic Andrew Garfield) hopes to grow tomatoes. Mum “Polly” (Claire Foy) is from much wealthier stock, but is certainly up for their new rustic challenge - even if the kitchen comes complete with it’s own chicken. Their three children, however - well that’s another matter as there is no electricity, no wifi and therefore no life as they know it. The one exception might be their quiet daughter “Fran” (Billie Gadsdon) who accepts a curious invitation to enter the forbidden wood and that’s where she meets the friendly fairy “Silky” (Nicola Coughlan) who introduces her to her friends and takes her on a sweet-toothed adventure. Returning home, her explanation of her day of fun is met with scepticism, so of course she is going to have to convince brother “Joe” (Phoenix Laroche) and singularly grumpy big sister “Beth” (Delilah Bennett-Carey) to accompany her back to this fantasy land to prove it and for some more adventures. Unbeknownst to everyone, though, “Beth” has summoned the help of their wealthy grandmother (Jennifer Saunders) who has threatened to put a stop to their whacky plan and ensure the children go to a proper school. It’s all going to be down to “Tim” and his tomatoes… Neither Garfield nor Foy really feature so much here, it’s much more a feature for the talented youngsters and once their escapades begin in earnest and we meet “Dame Washalot”, “Moonface” and the dreadfully menacing “Dame Snap” (Rebecca Ferguson) then the charm of the story takes over. There are gadgets galore; a tree that grows it’s own marshmallows and even an aeroplane that likes to take a snooze at the most inopportune times as the kids come to realise what is really important in life - and that doesn’t usually come from an iPad. It’s that message of living life to the full, of engaging and of actually playing with real people and things (ok, so real fantasy people and things) that illustrates just what helps make a person grow - regardless of your age, or penchant for pasta sauce. The production design has something of the “Narnia” look to it from twenty-odd years ago, but with better CGI and though I do wonder just who it’s target audience is, I was quite pleasantly surprised and did enjoy it.
