Film Analysis: Grow – A Refined Pumpkin Growing Caper Brimming with Lively Appeal and Comedic Talent
This lively British children's film features five different writers credited for the screenplay, with a pair who contributed “extra content”. This might clarify why the narrative rhythm progress with such metronomic precision, and the characters seem as though they were developed hydroponically in a lab. Ironically, the backdrop is a homestead farm where farm-owner Dinah, an agronomist decides to go organic after being inspired by her gifted niece Charlie, who feels the feelings of plants by touching them.
A Budding Relationship and a Contest-Winning Gourd
Having only recently met, for reasons the otherwise polished script fails to explain, Dinah and Charlie get to know each other across a few seasons – which aligns with the duration needed to cultivate a pumpkin for the local yearly contest. Charlie hopes to use the prize money to locate her mom, rumored to have run off to become a movie star in the US.
The supporting cast is filled with delightful humorous roles by veteran British actors.
Star-Studded Appearances and Antagonistic Foes
The mother character later emerges played by a well-known actress, who, like Rosheuvel, has a background in hit shows. Moreover, the lineup features an eccentric gardener played by Nick Frost, who offers advice on growing pumpkins for the duo. At the same time, Tim McInnerny and Jane Horrocks depict the Smythe-Gherkins, the evil local elites determined to win the competition purely for prestige since they don’t need the monetary reward.
- Nick Frost excels in the role of a bohemian gardener.
- The antagonists add comedic tension as affluent competitors.
- Young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Young Actor's Skill and Directorial Flair
Though his Scottish accent appears a bit random in this setting, his dry underplaying and humor sense are so adept it’s expected he was chosen for a leading part in an upcoming series. Director John McPhail keeps a lighthearted humorous vibe and doesn’t interfere with what is destined to be suitable pre-bedtime entertainment for a specific seasonal period.
