Film Analysis: Grow – A Refined Pumpkin Growing Caper Filled with Perky Charm and Comedic Talent
This lively British children's film boasts five different writers credited with the script, including two who provided “additional material”. This could explain why the narrative rhythm unfold with clockwork accuracy, while the personalities seem as though they were cultivated hydroponically in a lab. Ironically, the backdrop is a homestead farm where farm-owner Dinah, an agronomist decides to go organic after being inspired by her magical niece Charlie, who can sense plants’ emotions through touch.
A Budding Relationship and a Contest-Winning Gourd
Recently introduced, for reasons the otherwise sleek screenplay fails to explain, Dinah and Charlie bond with one another across a few seasons – which coincides with the duration needed to cultivate a pumpkin for the local yearly contest. Charlie hopes to use the prize money to find her mother, rumored to have left for become a movie star in California.
The ensemble cast is filled with charming comic performances from seasoned UK performers.
Star-Studded Appearances and Antagonistic Foes
The mother character later emerges portrayed by a familiar face, who, like Rosheuvel, has a background in hit shows. Moreover, the cast includes a quirky horticulturist portrayed by Nick Frost, who provides advice on growing pumpkins to Dinah and Charlie. At the same time, Jane Horrocks and Tim McInnerny depict the Smythe-Gherkins, the villainous upper-class neighbors determined to win the contest purely for prestige as they lack need for the cash prize.
- Nick Frost excels as a hippy horticulturist.
- The foes add comedic tension as wealthy rivals.
- Young Dominic McLaughlin plays Charlie’s school friend Oliver.
Youthful Talent and Filmmaking Style
While his Scottish tone appears a bit random in this context, his subtle performance and humor sense are so skillful it’s expected he has been cast 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 pre-bedtime entertainment during a particular time of year.
