The Odd Life of Timothy Green

This enchanting, wish-fulfillment fantasy fable finds the Greens (Jennifer Garner, John Edgerton) desperately trying to adopt a child. Told that they cannot conceive, the Greens nevertheless envision just the kind of son they'd love to have, scribbling various character traits on bits of paper: he'd be “honest to a fault,” “Picasso with a pencil,” and “score a winning goal” (just once). Tenderly, the Greens put these scraps of paper in a box and bury it in their front yard. That night, a storm erupts--just over their house—and from their garden, mud-caked, 10-year-old Timothy (CJ Adams) miraculously emerges. While Timothy has all the qualities the Greens hoped for, they manifest themselves in ways his naïve parents could never have imagined. Timothy lacks a belly button but (inexplicably) sports bright green leaves sprouting from his ankles—an attribute that concerns his overprotective parents because it makes him look “different.” But, after being literally willed into existence, Timothy serenely overcomes obstacles, raising his arms in salutation to the sun, and becoming friends with Joni (Odeya Rush), a teenage girl who rides him around on her bicycle. Wise-beyond-his-years, Timothy is quite special, teaching his doting parents valuable life lessons. Working from a somewhat muddled story by Ahmet Zappa (son of legendary guitarist Frank Zappa), writer-director Peter Hedges employs magical realism to underscore how precious time is, particularly in childhood, setting his story against the dire economic stresses caused by the impending collapse of the Stanleyville pencil factory—the town's economic lifeline. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include deleted scenes (6 min.), the music video “This Gift” by Glen Hansard, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is audio commentary by director Peter Hedges, a “This Is Family” production featurette (10 min.), “The Gift of Music” behind-the-scenes look at the song “This Gift” (10 min.), and a bonus DVD copy of the film. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning fable.] (S. Granger)