Grow Review – A Polished Gourd Cultivation Adventure Brimming with Lively Appeal and Comedic Talent
This upbeat British children's film features a team of five scribes listed with the script, with a pair who contributed “additional material”. This might clarify why the story beats unfold with such metronomic precision, while the personalities feel as if they were cultivated hydroponically in a lab. Ironically, the backdrop is a homestead farm where farm-owner Dinah, an agronomist chooses organic methods motivated by her magical niece Charlie, who can sense the feelings of plants by touching them.
A Growing Bond and a Prize Pumpkin
Having only recently met, for reasons the otherwise polished script fails to explain, Dinah and Charlie get to know each other across a few seasons – which coincides with the time required to grow a pumpkin for the annual village competition. Charlie hopes to use the prize money to find her mother, rumored to have run off to become a movie star in the US.
The supporting cast is filled with delightful humorous roles from seasoned UK performers.
Star-Studded Appearances and Antagonistic Foes
The maternal figure eventually appears played by a familiar face, who, like Rosheuvel, comes from in hit shows. Additionally, the cast includes a quirky horticulturist played by Nick Frost, who offers pumpkin-growing tips to Dinah and Charlie. At the same time, Tim McInnerny and Jane Horrocks depict the Smythe-Gherkins, the villainous upper-class neighbors set on winning the competition for glory alone since they don’t need the cash prize.
- Nick Frost shines in the role of a bohemian gardener.
- The antagonists add comedic tension as wealthy rivals.
- Young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Youthful Talent and Directorial Flair
While his Scottish tone appears a bit random in this setting, his subtle performance and comic timing are so skillful it’s expected he was chosen for a leading part in a future show. Filmmaker John McPhail keeps a buoyant comedy tone and stays unobtrusive with what is destined to serve as pre-bedtime entertainment for a specific seasonal period.
