Grow Review – A Polished Pumpkin Growing Caper Filled with Perky Charm and Comedic Talent
This lively UK family movie features five different writers listed for the screenplay, including two who contributed “additional material”. This might clarify why the narrative rhythm unfold with such metronomic precision, and the characters seem as though they were developed hydroponically in a lab. Paradoxically, the setting is a homestead farm where agronomist-owner Dinah decides to go organic after being inspired by her gifted niece Charlie, who feels plants’ emotions by touching them.
A Budding Relationship and a Prize Pumpkin
Having only recently met, for motives the otherwise sleek screenplay doesn't clarify, Dinah and Charlie bond with one another across a few seasons – which aligns with the time required to cultivate a pumpkin for the local yearly contest. Charlie aims to use the prize money to find her mother, rumored to have run off to become a movie star in California.
The ensemble cast is filled with charming comic performances from seasoned UK performers.
Star-Studded Appearances and Villainous Rivals
The mother character eventually appears played by a familiar face, who, like Rosheuvel, has a background in hit shows. Additionally, the cast includes a quirky horticulturist played by Nick Frost, who offers advice on growing pumpkins for the duo. Meanwhile, Tim McInnerny and Jane Horrocks play the Smythe-Gherkins, the evil local elites determined to win the contest purely for prestige since they don’t need the monetary reward.
- Nick Frost shines in the role of a bohemian gardener.
- The antagonists bring humorous conflict as wealthy rivals.
- Young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Youthful Talent and Directorial Flair
Though his Scottish accent seems somewhat out of place in this setting, his dry underplaying and humor sense are so adept it’s expected he has been cast for a leading part in an upcoming series. Filmmaker John McPhail maintains a buoyant comedy tone and doesn’t interfere with what is meant to serve as pre-bedtime entertainment for a specific seasonal period.
