The Magic Faraway Tree lands in UK and Ireland cinemas this week ahead of the Easter school holidays, and it sounds like it’s going to be a must-see for families. The movie has debuted with a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating after its first reviews.
Adapted from Enid Blyton’s book series of the same name, the British fantasy adventure stars Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield as Polly and Tim Thompson who, after Polly quits her job, decide to move to the remote British countryside near where Tim grew up.
Their three children – Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), Fran (Billie Gadsdon) and Joe (Phoenix Laroche) – aren’t best pleased about it, especially with the lack of WiFi and phone signal. But when Fran discovers a magical tree that transports her to spectacular lands, their view on the new Thompson home changes for the better.
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The Magic Faraway Tree was written by Simon Farnaby, who previously co-wrote Paddington 2 and Wonka. Farnaby also stars in the movie alongside Nicola Coughlan, Rebecca Ferguson, Nonso Anozie, Jessica Gunning and Dustin Demri-Burns.
As mentioned above, the first reviews for The Magic Faraway Tree have landed ahead of its release and they’ve all been positive. We’ve rounded up some of the early reviews below if you’re still on the fence about seeing the movie.
“Farnaby keeps it fresh and witty, combining the wordplay and low-stakes surrealism of his roots in The Mighty Boosh and Horrible Histories with a keen eye for literary adaptation.”
“A thoroughly likable and sweet-natured family fantasy film for the Easter holidays, with acres of innocent jollity and eccentric quirkiness.”
“The Magic Faraway Tree isn’t on Wonka’s level, let alone Paddington 2’s… But with the cracking cast, thoughtful message and the odd rollicking adventure, it’s a fun family movie that’ll finally give you permission to switch off the WiFi.”
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“Its magical denizens too often look and feel like out-of-season pantomime characters, but there’s just enough heart and humour to make this enchanting.”
“It does not reach the heights of Paddington 2 – what does? – but it does present an excellent all-ages fantasy comedy for the upcoming school holidays.”
“The Magic Faraway Tree is a simple pleasure… It’s silly and sincere and free of cynicism – perhaps the balm everyone needs.”
The Magic Faraway Tree is released in UK and Ireland cinemas on 27 March.
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Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.