Grow Review – A Polished Gourd Cultivation Adventure Filled with Lively Appeal and Humor Expertise
This lively UK family movie boasts five different writers credited for the screenplay, with a pair who contributed “extra content”. This could explain why the narrative rhythm progress with such metronomic precision, while the personalities seem as though they were cultivated hydroponically in a lab. Ironically, the setting is a family-run farm where agronomist-owner Dinah decides to go organic motivated by her magical niece Charlie, who feels plants’ emotions by touching them.
A Budding Relationship and a Contest-Winning Gourd
Recently introduced, for reasons the otherwise sleek screenplay fails to explain, Charlie and Dinah bond with one another over several seasons – which coincides with the time required to grow a pumpkin for the local yearly contest. Charlie hopes to utilize the award cash to find her mother, rumored to have left for pursue stardom in California.
The ensemble cast is filled with charming comic performances from seasoned UK performers.
Star-Studded Appearances and Villainous Rivals
The mother character later emerges portrayed by a familiar face, similar to Rosheuvel, has a background in hit shows. Moreover, the cast includes an eccentric gardener played by Nick Frost, who provides pumpkin-growing tips for the duo. At the same time, Jane Horrocks and Tim McInnerny play the Smythe-Gherkins, the villainous upper-class neighbors set on winning the competition for glory alone as they lack need for the cash prize.
- Nick Frost shines in the role of a bohemian gardener.
- The foes bring humorous conflict as wealthy rivals.
- Young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Young Actor's Skill and Directorial Flair
Though his Scottish accent seems somewhat out of place in this setting, his subtle performance and humor sense are so skillful it’s expected he was chosen for a major role in a future show. Director John McPhail maintains a lighthearted humorous vibe and stays unobtrusive with what is meant to serve as evening family fun for a specific seasonal period.
