Disney’s live-action family film for the summer of 2012 was “The Odd Life of Timothy Green”. It was a bit of an odd choice, since the story doesn’t really appeal to kids. And it showed at the box office. Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton star as Cindy and Jim Green. The couple learns, after years of trying, that they cannot have a child. So one night they decide to write down on small pieces of paper all the qualities – good and bad – they would want their child to have. They put the notes in a box and bury it in their
garden, vowing to move on with their lives. But that evening a storm comes from out of nowhere, and from the garden…so does a 10-year-old boy with leaves growing out of his legs. His name is Timothy (played by CJ Adams). After they get over the initial shock Cindy and Jim decide to accept Timothy as their own, and they’re in for some surprises. Unfortunately we are not.
It’s one of those films where you can’t go much deeper into the plot without giving key details away. The story is told in flashback, and the film jumps between the past and the present. This device is a big mistake for a couple of reasons. The constant back and forth is distracting, and it also gives away too much of what’s to come.
“Timothy Green” is very Disney. Once you figure out where the film is headed, and it doesn’t take long, there are no surprises. The script relies too much on coincidences and is very manipulative, especially at the end (forcing tears during a long, drawn-out sequence). The character of Timothy is not allowed to grow (no pun intended). He’s simply following the script that was written out for him on those sheets of paper. He has no depth and not much to say, making it difficult to get emotionally attached to him.
Adams does his best with the material. Both Garner and Edgerton are believable at the start, handling this situation the way most people likely would (other than not reporting Timothy to authorities). But then they get goofier and more over-the-top as they begin to use Timothy to impress others: Jim’s father wasn’t a supportive dad to him (how typical) and Cindy wants her selfish sister with the “talented” kids to know that Timothy is great too.
Other predictable subplots involve Cindy’s tough boss (played by Dianne Wiest), Timothy’s soccer coach (Common) and a mysterious girl who he spends an incredible amount of time with, completely unsupervised. Where are his new “parents” who wanted him so badly? Watching the two kids ride away on a bicycle. These storylines really have no impact. There are a few laughs, but for every mild chuckle there’s two groans.
“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” is rated PG. It’s appropriate for kids 9 and up. This is a family drama with an intriguing premise (I give director Peter Hedges credit for thinking “outside the box”) that probably looked great on paper, but on-screen it just never blooms.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” gets a C.