The Odd Life of Timothy Green – A Modern Fable That Moves Your Heart

Jennifer Gardner. C.J. Adams, Joel Edgerton

This is not your typical Disney film. There are some familiar themes that come with the Disney brand like family, love, goodness, life and some fanciful magic of sorts. However, there is some deep and mature themes that surround the topics of life, spirituality and death that may be too heavy for the youngest of audiences.

Jennifer Garner, from left, CJ Adams and Joel Edgerton star in “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.” (Phil Bray/Disney/MCT)

The story centers on a young couple who live in Stanleyville, a town hit hard by the recession and known for pencil making since the 1800’s. The couple have tried to have a baby of their own for years and have just exhausted their last option as the story starts. On the evening of that dark day, they list what their perfect child would be like and and put the notes in a box. They bury the box in their garden. It was symbolizing their burying of their dream of having a child.

Enchantment happens that night with rain falling in their drought ridden area. There is a hole where they buried the box and a young naked boy covered in dirt had emerged from it. Fate or magic has delivered them a son out of the garden with leaves growing out of his ankles.

Thus began their journey into parenthood with their son, Timothy Green. He is a special young boy who has impact on everyone he meets and is odd in many ways. However, he wins the town over. Through the experience, his parents learn how to do that be parents.

The movie is well directed and moves along really well. C.J. Adams who plays Timothy Green steals many scenes with his youthful but strong presence as the lead character. Jennifer Gardner and Joel Edgerton are perfect as the couple Cindy and Jim Green. Through their eyes you see the vulnerability of parenthood and the unconditional love for your child.

The film also shows the struggle of parents to allow the child to be themselves and not to superimpose their own wants and needs on them.

There is a emotional pitch to the movie that you see coming that when it crescendos at the end you are caught it and find that you care deeply about the characters.

I left pondering a lot about what I had just experienced from The Odd Life of Timothy Green. It was like being given the gift of appreciation of life and those we hold dear.

It is a definitely worth the watch.