Young Critic Adam Lawler Reviews 'From Time to Time'
DIR: Julian Fellowes • WRI: Lucy M. Boston, Julian Fellowes • PRO: Julian Fellowes, Paul Kingsley, Liz Trubridge • ED: John Wilson • DOP: Alan Almond • CAST: Maggie Smith, Dominic West, Timothy Spall, Carice van Houten, Eliza Bennett, Douglas Booth
This mystery adventure romp spanning two worlds follows 13-year-old Tolly as he spends Christmas with his enigmatic grandmother in Green Knowe, where he visits and influences the pinnacle events of his ancestors’ history.
This plot doesn’t exactly move like a smooth train, but the little things like the equal and funny relationship between Tolly a slightly wooden (Alex Etel) and his grandmother (Maggie Smith in top form) more than make up for it.
When Tolly goes back in time (indicated by the cold-grey to warm-candle lighting changes) it’s a seemingly random occurrence when apparently only good people can see him. He meets his family members, and proceeds to help them out of conundrums that unbeknownst to them would shape the family’s history. The scenes set in this time during the Napoleonic War are gripping and well-told, with Carice van Houten and Hugh Bonneville providing excellent chemistry as Maria and Captain Oldknowe and the chirpy Susan’s friendship with her foreign friend is warm and friendly.
Meanwhile, Tolly gleans information about the past from the staff and housekeeper, one of which is a very Hagrid-sounding Timothy Spall. These events come into play in a satisfying, surprising way later on. The sub-story about Tolly’s MIA father and Tolly’s denial of the truth is touching, if not slightly annoying. Most of the characters in both the wartime England setting and the 1809 setting are convincing. The villains, however (Dominic West as Caxton) feel like a bit of an undercurrent to the plot, even though they cause most of the events to happen.
Despite this the film struck a chord in me about naivety and innocence in children and remains well-structured and brilliantly acted, even though the biggest flaw was the super-predictable ending, which my dad leaned over and whispered to me halfway through the film.
Still, there were enough twists, quirks and warm relationships to keep my eyes fixed to the screen for the whole running time. A fitting end for this fun-filled festival. A haunting ghost story with atmospheric lighting changes and warm relationships, this only very slightly flawed film is definitely worth seeing.
7/10
Adam Lawler, Aged 14
Winner 13–14 Category
Cinemagic’s Young Critic Competition
Related Posts
Category: Reviews
