The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)

This live-action Disney movie had been on TV a lot in the last couple of years, especially on Bank Holidays and at Christmas, it was not rated very well by critics, but the concept sounded fun, and I was willing to give it a chance, directed by Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life). Basically Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim Green (Joel Edgerton) are trying to persuade an adoption agency to allow them to adopt a child, so they tell their story of experience with Timothy (CJ Adams), seen in flashback. Cindy worked in the town's local museum, and Jim worked at the town's historic pencil factory, they live in the drought-stricken town of Stanleyville, North Carolina, self-labelled as "the pencil capital of the world". Doctors inform the Greens that they are unable to conceive a child, they are distraught, so together they write down their dreams for an ideal child, including characteristics and life events, on note paper, the couple place the notes inside a wooden box and bury it in the backyard of the garden. That night, there is a thunderstorm, suddenly a ten-year-old boy enters the house claiming that the Greens are his parents, they find that the box they buried has been smashed to pieces in a large hole. The boy is covered in mud, he says his name is Timothy, he is actually a culmination of all their wishes of what their child would be. The Greens also discover that Timothy has a startling feature: he has leaves growing on his legs, these can only be covered up by him wearing long tube socks. The next day, at a family picnic, Timothy is introduced to Cindy's pompous sister Brenda Best (Rosemarie DeWitt), Jim's estranged father James Green Sr. (David Morse); and Cindy's paternal aunt and uncle Mel (Lois Smith) and Bub (M. Emmet Walsh). The parents take Timothy to their friend and town botanist, Reggie (Lin-Manuel Miranda), where they learn that Timothy's leaves cannot be removed. Timothy begins to attend school, where he meets Joni Jerome (Odeya Rush), they begin a friendly relationship. Meanwhile pencil factory, the largest employer in Stanleyville, begins laying off its employees, Timothy convinces Cindy and Jim to design a prototype for a new pencil to keep the pencil-producing business viable. Unbeknownst to the parents, each time he fulfils one of the qualities listed on the original slips of paper, one of Timothy's leaves falls off. He eventually reveals to Cindy and Jim that his time of existence is short and that he will eventually disappear, and during another thunderstorm, Timothy vanishes from the house. The meeting for the Greens with the adoption agency concludes, Cindy presents a letter written by Timothy before he left, in which he explains that gave each of his fallen leaves to the people whose life was touched by him. After some time, the adoption counsellor pulls up to the Greens' house in a car with the little girl who is to become their daughter, Lily (Josey Cuthrell Tuttleman). Also starring Shohreh Aghdashloo as Evette Onat, Dianne Wiest as Ms. Bernice Crudstaff, Office Space's Ron Livingston as Franklin Crudstaff, James Rebhorn as Joseph Crudstaff and rapper Common as Coach Cal. Garner and Edgerton are reasonable as the childless couple, and there are good supporting cast members like Wiest and Morse, but with underwritten roles, the story of magic sprouting a dream child into reality could have been a good concept, but nothing notable happens after that, the biggest problem is that this is chock-a-block with sentimentality and schmaltz, it is way away from being charming or cute, it is just straining and stomach churning, a boring and disappointing fantasy comedy drama. Adequate!

Is this even supposed to exist? This movie does nothing but send terrible messages to people crazy about parenting with no qualifications to be by showing the terrible non-parenting of an even crazier couple. It's already bad when you don't even file the papers for adopting a child because "we'd rather tell you a long boring story about why you must give us a child even if through said story we'll show you only what kind of terrible people we are", plus you add a nonsensical story of a fake child-plant that grows up from a crazy couple that think is real, make them NEVER act like they even care about this discount Jesus that came out of nowhere, nagging and complaining about everything but what's to be complaining about, and never EVER questioning their horrible non-parenting? Who wrote this movie is absolutely insane and has no idea how to parenting. Just because you add that stupid pretentious wonder-like music doesn't mean your horrible screenplay becomes good, if anything makes it even worse. This movie isn't just horrible, it's a horrible movie that thinks is wonderful and charming. Well, guess what? It's not. It just sucks.

Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim Green (Joel Edgerton) are looking to adopt and recounter their life with Timothy. Their doctor had just given up on their fertility. The couple is broke and at their lowest point. He works at the local Stanleyville pencil factory and she works at its museum. Jim refuses to give up. He lifts her spirit with the idea to write down all of their kid's characteristics and burying the pieces of paper in the garden. During the night, Timothy magically grows out of the garden.There is nothing particularly wrong with the movie. It's cute. Garner is adorably lovely. Edgerton isn't really this character type but he's able to play against type. The kid is ahhh ... cute. This is sappy and I don't think there's anything wrong with that. The movie does lack tension. There isn't much danger in the story. By showing the ending first, it puts any danger or sadness to a minimal. This is probably a good G-rated movie for people with kids or adults who want kids. I don't know how much of this is appealing to the little ones. After all, this is more about the adults than Timothy.

I have been a fan of family movies and shows and this might top my list.Garner's acting is exceptional and yes I love her so much!! He is this mother-type of an actress and I'm glad she is in this movie because I can't imagine this movie without her.Timothy is so cool and it gives a refreshing mood for all the audience and it made me love the movie more. It is refreshing and an easy-going film. Not heavy on drama, not heavy on comedy, just the right amount of every emotion and it is rare to see a movie with this combination.Kudos to the director and staffs, it is well-made and it is a family movie that you wouldn't want to miss!I recommend the movie to everyone, in all ages!