The Magic Faraway Tree Review

The Magic Faraway Tree is a family fantasy film based on a series of books by Enid Blyton, updated for a contemporary setting.

The Thompson family moves from London to the countryside after the mum, Poppy (Claire Foy), quits her job due to ethical reasons. They plan to fulfil Tim’s (Andrew Garfield) dream of growing tomatoes and selling pasta sauce. The move is met with hostility by two of the three Thompson children, Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) and Joe (Phoenix Laroche). When Fran (Billie Gadsdon) encounters a fairy, she gets an invitation to the Magic Faraway Tree, and needs to go into the Forbidden Woods to accept it.

Enid Blyton was one of the most prolific children’s authors: her bibliography includes Noddy and Famous Five, and her work is still popular today. Around the same time as The Magic Faraway Tree, there was also a TV version of The Famous Five by Nicolas Winding Refn. The Famous Five have appeared in adverts for Great Western Railways, and CBBC have adapted Malory Towers. The Magic Faraway Tree has come out during a time when adaptations of classic children’s books have been plentiful. The promotion for The Magic Faraway Tree highlighted that it was written by the writer of Paddington 2 and Wonka. Those films have become modern family classics, especially Paddington 2.

Blyton’s work is considered good-natured and quaint. That’s a good description of The Magic Faraway Tree. It was a story about a family learning to connect after moving and coming across something extraordinary, like a talking bear or a magical world. The Magic Faraway Tree had a setup similar to The Railway Children because both films feature families moving to the countryside after losing their fortune, and the children end up going on multiple adventures. In The Magic Faraway Tree, the children went on episodic magical adventures and helped their parents with their new business, which tied the film together.

The Magic Faraway Tree emphasised a sense of whimsy and wonder. The Thompsons did get to go to some wondrous places, like the Land of Goodies, where sweets grew like fruit, and a world where everyone could celebrate their birthday. This was shown through the eyes of a young girl because she saw some extraordinary sights. Fran acted a lot like Lucy from the Chronicles of Narnia when the 10-year-old girl visited Narnia for the first time. The Magic Faraway Tree had a pleasant feel as it was all about childlike wonder. Parents will probably anticipate a family film that’s more genteel compared to other children’s entertainment. It was a film that catered to younger children because of the bright, colourful worlds, the activities, low stakes, and some cruder jokes. It even had a positive message that girls can be feminine and feminist, not choose between the two.

The film adaptation modernised the setting and some of the themes. Parents can appreciate the issue of children being hooked on their devices. The Thompson children were forced off their electronics, and after initial protestations, this led them to explore their new surroundings, work together, and spend time with their parents. It was a nice message as it harkens back to a pre-digital age.  Joe learned he didn’t need video games to have fun, and Beth got over her moody teenage phase. Admittedly, I thought Beth looked like she was 11 or 12, but it turns out the actress playing her is 17 in real life, so probably 15 years old when she made the film.

It was a film with an impressive ensemble cast. Garfield and Foy were the big names who played the caring parents and worked well as a team to make the tomato venture possible. Garfield has entered his dorky dad phase. Nicola Coughlan was a lovely presence as the good-natured fairy Silky, who formed a friendship with Fran and was the bridge between the human and magical worlds. It was nice to hear Coughlan use her natural Irish accent in a film role. Character actor Nonso Anozie had gravitas and presence as the pompous self-appointed leader of The Magical Faraway Tree. The Magic Faraway Tree even had recognisable actors in small roles like Lenny Henry and Jennifer Saunders, although Rebecca Ferguson was underused as the main villain. Gadsdon gave an excellent performance, and she’s clearly on the rise.

For a British film, it did go big with the special effects. The Magical Faraway Tree and the various worlds were bright and colourful, and a great showcase for the production design team. The world felt like children’s drawings come to life. The visual effects were of a decent standard for its $35 million budget.

The Magic Faraway Tree was a nice little film that will give families an alternative viewing to Hollywood family fare.