The Odd Life of
Timothy Green

Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton star as Cindy and Jim Green - a married couple desperate to have a young baby join their family. One night, they put all of their dreams and hopes for what their child could be like into a wooden box and bury it in the garden. Without realizing what they have done, a storm hits and a young boy with strange leaves on his legs, Timothy (CJ Adams), emerges from the garden (not like a zombie crawling out of the grave, but more like a plant, so it's cute).

Timothy may be the son Cindy and Jim have always dreamed of, but will he be able to fit in?

If I do the same thing, will Kate Beckinsale emerge from my garden?

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a charming little fairy tale for a jaded world. You almost have to be pure evil like J.R. Ewing to hate this movie (thanks to the Dallas comeback, that reference is relevant again!). Sure, it has some flaws, but those of you buying tickets to The Odd Life of Timothy Green are getting a sweet, cuddly family film guaranteed to make you smile more than once.

Most of this is because of Adams, who wonderfully brings the exuberance, naiveté and innocence needed to make all of us fall for this strange, mystical kid. The story and outcomes might be very obvious, but Adams acts as if all of it is very original, which helps the audience forgive the stiffly, clumsily written villains, and predictable twists. His heart and soul make us root for the outsider who seems to know all of the right things to say and do, as he melts hearts throughout the town.

I wish the rest of the movie was as strong as the performance by Adams, as well as his co-stars Edgerton and Garner. Writer/director Peter Hedges doesn't give us quite enough foreshadowing to help set up the ending, and most of the conflicts between characters appear out of thin air.

Yet, The Odd Life of Timothy Green is one of the small little gems of Summer 2012.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is rated PG for mild thematic elements and brief language.