Grow Review – A Polished Pumpkin Growing Caper Filled with Perky Charm and Comedic Talent
This lively British children's film boasts a team of five scribes credited for the screenplay, including two who provided “extra content”. This might clarify why the story beats progress with clockwork accuracy, while the personalities seem as though they were cultivated hydroponically in a lab. Ironically, the backdrop is a homestead farm where farm-owner Dinah, an agronomist chooses organic methods after being inspired by her magical niece Charlie, who feels plants’ emotions by touching them.
A Growing Bond and a Prize Pumpkin
Recently introduced, for reasons the otherwise sleek screenplay fails to explain, Charlie and Dinah get to know each other across a few seasons – which coincides with the duration needed to grow a pumpkin for the annual village competition. Charlie hopes to use the prize money to locate her mom, rumored to have run off to pursue stardom in the US.
The supporting cast is packed with charming comic performances from seasoned UK performers.
Notable Cameos and Villainous Rivals
The maternal figure eventually appears played by a familiar face, similar to Rosheuvel, has a background in popular series. Additionally, the cast includes an eccentric gardener portrayed by Nick Frost, who offers pumpkin-growing tips to Dinah and Charlie. Meanwhile, Tim McInnerny and Jane Horrocks play the Smythe-Gherkins, the villainous upper-class neighbors determined to win the contest purely for prestige as they lack need for the monetary reward.
- Nick Frost excels as a hippy horticulturist.
- The antagonists add comedic tension as wealthy rivals.
- The youthful Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Youthful Talent and Directorial Flair
While his Scottish tone appears a bit random in this context, his dry underplaying and comic timing are so adept it’s no surprise he has been cast for a major role in a future show. Filmmaker John McPhail keeps a lighthearted humorous vibe and doesn’t interfere with what is meant to be suitable pre-bedtime entertainment during a particular time of year.
