Well Wed. evening I went to see a new movie opening that day, “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.” I had seen a preview for this movie months ago, maybe even a year ago if that long, it seemed that long at least. I have to say it was everything I hoped it was, and sadly everything I thought it would be. What? Well let me explain, but first off if you’ve not seen this and plan to do so STOP READING NOW. You have been warned!
The film stars Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton and most importantly CJ Adams a fairly newcomer to the silver screen, previously in Dan in Real Life starring Steve Carell. I have not seen Dan in Real Life so I had not seen Adams in a film before and I must say that this little boy is not only adorable but also a talented child actor. I can only hope he goes the way of Neil Patrick Harris (successful), and not the way of poor Macaulay Culkin (ripped to shreds). Adams plays a little boy who grows from out of his “parents” garden after they bury a box containing pieces of notepad paper with ideas of what their child would have been liked after they were told that they would never be able to have a child after going into debt trying all kinds of fertility treatments. Heartbroken Garner and Edgerton’s characters grieve for the child they would never have.
Later that evening a freak rainstorm only above their home… see the film you’ll understand… Timothy miraculously rises out of the muddy garden… with leaves growing out of his legs. Of course Garner and Edgerton are blind sided to say the least and at the same time incredibly excited and happy. We get to watch the two new parents grow close with Timothy, at times apart with themselves, and how to be parents and deal with their own family issues. Let me tell you, those issues and their family members are not a walk in the park… unless its a park with dead trees and 110+ degree weather. We also get to see Timothy try and be a “normal” boy in a not so normal situation… we also learn that he has a secret, what that is I will let you find out but it is and was painfully obvious to me before I went in to see this and made iron clad within the first few minutes of the film.
I am not one who usually enjoys a Jennifer Garner film but in this case I thoroughly enjoyed her performance as well as Edgerton’s performance. However it must be said and has to be clear to everyone that the star of this film is Adams. The young actor is smart, has good timing, great facial expressions, and a bright smile that reminds you of a young Haley Joel Osment, or a young Macaulay Culkin (pre-issues). The film is a heart warming and some would say sappy film but I say it is what it is, a heart warming endearing film that is a true family film that everyone can enjoy and I actually mean that… you won’t get any false or sound bite lines here.
So do yourself a favor and go and see this film, take your kids (old enough to sit through a film please, I had to deal with someone’s crying baby…) and make it a family night out. Or if you like make it a escape from your everyday hectic life as I did and left the kids home (niece and nephews). 
