‘The Magic Faraway Tree’ Review: Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy Kid Flick

Plenty of British children’s stories have managed to catch on with American audiences via their cinematic adaptations, from Mary Poppins to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to Paddington. The latest entry to cross the pond is unlikely to reap similar success despite the presence of Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield in leading roles and a supporting cast featuring some of England’s finest thespians. Adapted from Enid Blyton’s 1943 novel, which was part of a three-book series, The Magic Faraway Tree proves so relentlessly twee and sugary that all but the youngest viewers will find themselves at risk of a diabetic coma.

Foy and Garfield play Polly and Tim, a married couple who decide to decamp from their London home when Polly resigns from her job at a manufacturing company after said company installs spying technology in the smart refrigerator — voiced by Judi Dench, of all people — that she’s invented. So they take off with their kids to the rural countryside, renting a dilapidated barn and creating a tomato farm to fulfill Tim’s dream of marketing his homemade pasta sauce.

The decision doesn’t sit well with their three children: smartphone-obsessed Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), who is horrified to discover that their new home doesn’t include electricity and running water, let alone Wi-Fi; and younger siblings Joe (Phoenix Laroche) and mostly silent Fran (Billie Gadsdon). “I don’t understand, have we gone back in time?” Joe plaintively asks.

Their feelings change when Fran has an encounter with Silky (Nicola Coughlan of Bridgerton), an exuberant fairy, who invites her to join her for tea at the Magic Faraway Tree. There, a newly verbal Fran meets a variety of bizarre characters including the aptly named Moonface (Nonso Anozie); the Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns), who’s clad in kitchen paraphernalia; Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning of Baby Reindeer), who, yes, does a lot of scrubbing; and Mr. Whatzisname (Oliver Chris), who, you guessed it, has memory issues.

Not so magical complications ensue, with the overstuffed proceedings eventually involving such other fantastical characters as the Birthday Elves, who offer each of the children one wish (Joe asks to be turned into his favorite Minecraft character, which is presumably an update from the original story); Mr. Oom Boom Boom (Mark Heap), who has the handy ability to reverse the wishes; and the Know-Alls (Michael Palin, Lenny Henry, Simon Russell Beale, all virtually unrecognizable under mounds of facial hair).

It’s all, as you can imagine, more than a bit much, and by the time the villainess Dame Snap (Rebecca Ferguson, whose giant lopsided wig probably required her to see a chiropractor between takes) comes along, you find yourself rooting for her. Indeed, it’s the most acerbic characters who prove the most endearing, especially the children’s grandmother played by British national treasure Jennifer Saunders, who practically makes a meal out of her disgusted exclamation, “Unemployed!”

Screenwriter Simon Farnaby has plenty of experience with this sort of material, having co-written the screenplays for Paddington 2 and Wonka, but he doesn’t bring similar wit to these proceedings. He also shows up briefly as a friendly farmer who provides the opportunity for a labored gag in which he confuses “Wi-Fi” for “wifey.” And while Foy is appealing as the indefatigable mother, Garfield leans too heavily into manic cutesiness as the endlessly chirpy father who at times seems less grown-up than his children. The story’s ultimate message about the kids learning to forego their electronic devices to embrace the joy of friends and family also seems a bit ironic, considering the film’s future as an electronic babysitter.

The Magic Faraway Tree is most notable for the imaginative costume and make-up designs for its outlandish characters and the brightly colored, pastel visuals that give you the feeling you’re looking at an oversized children’s book. But even the distinctive look becomes wearisome after not too long. By the time the film is over, you’ll be longing for some refreshing monochrome.