This animated British children's film lists five different people in the screenplay credits (two of whom contributed "additional material"); this might go some way to explaining why the story beats arrive with such metronomic precision, and the characters seem hydroponically grown in a lab. Which is, of course, ironic, given that the plot is set on a family farm where agronomist and owner Dinah (Golda Rosheuvel) decides to go organic after being inspired by her magical niece Charlie (Priya-Rose Brookwell, adorable), who can sense plants' emotions by touch.
Having been recently introduced, for reasons the otherwise polished script doesn't explain, Charlie and Dinah get to know each other over the course of a few seasons, which coincidentally is the time it takes to grow a pumpkin for the town's annual competition. Charlie hopes to use the prize money to find his mother, who is rumored to have run away to become a movie star in California.
Director: John McPhail
Writers: Nick Guthe, Ruth Fletcher, Christos N. Gage
Stars: Golda Rosheuvel, Nick Frost, Jeremy Swift
The latter happens to be Kathryn Drysdale, who, like Rosheuvel, is a Bridgerton alum (Drysdale also did a cheeky Meghan Markle impression on The Windsors). Indeed, the supporting cast is packed with charming comic performances from veteran British actors, including Nick Frost as a hippie horticulturist who offers advice to Dinah and Charlie on pumpkin growing, and Jane Horrocks and Tim McInnerny as the Smythe-Gherkins, evil local posh kids determined to win the prize just for the glory, since they don't need the money.
Meanwhile, young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie's school friend Oliver, and while his Scottish accent seems a bit fortuitous in this context, his understated performance and comic timing are so adept that it's no surprise to learn he's been cast as Harry Potter in the upcoming TV series. Director John McPhail keeps the comedy lively and doesn't interfere with what promises to be suitable bedtime entertainment for a very specific time of year.
Grow premieres on Sky Cinema from October 10. It opens in UK cinemas from October 25 and in Australian cinemas from January 15.
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