Grow Review – A Polished Pumpkin Growing Caper Filled with Lively Appeal and Comedic Talent
This upbeat British children's film boasts a team of five scribes credited with the script, including two who provided “additional material”. This might clarify why the narrative rhythm unfold with such metronomic precision, and the characters feel as if they were cultivated hydroponically in a lab. Paradoxically, the backdrop is a family-run farm where agronomist-owner Dinah chooses organic methods after being inspired by her magical niece Charlie, who can sense plants’ emotions by touching them.
A Budding Relationship and a Contest-Winning Gourd
Recently introduced, for motives the otherwise sleek screenplay doesn't clarify, Dinah and Charlie get to know each other across a few seasons – which coincides with the time required to cultivate a pumpkin for the annual village competition. 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 packed with charming comic performances from seasoned UK performers.
Star-Studded Appearances and Villainous Rivals
The maternal figure later emerges portrayed by a well-known actress, similar to Rosheuvel, comes from in hit shows. Additionally, the cast includes a quirky horticulturist played by Nick Frost, who provides pumpkin-growing tips to Dinah and Charlie. At the same time, Tim McInnerny and Jane Horrocks play the Smythe-Gherkins, the villainous upper-class neighbors determined to win the competition for glory alone as they lack need for the cash prize.
- Nick Frost shines 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 context, his subtle performance and comic timing are so adept it’s expected he has been cast for a leading part in an upcoming series. Filmmaker John McPhail keeps a buoyant comedy tone and doesn’t interfere with what is destined to serve as pre-bedtime entertainment for a specific seasonal period.
