The Odd Life of Timothy Green

An unabashed fairy tale, The Odd Life of Timothy Green follows small-town couple Cindy (Jennifer Garner) and Jim (Joel Edgerton) as they, after discovering that they can’t have children naturally, bury a box in their backyard containing a list of all the traits their child would’ve ideally possessed. That same night, Cindy and Jim find themselves confronted by a young boy (CJ Adams’ Timothy) covered in dirt and adorned with leaves on his legs – with the pair’s decision to pass the kid off as their own kicking the movie’s episodic storyline into gear. It’s interesting to note that writer/director Peter Hedges essentially (and immediately) reveals the title character’s ultimate fate in the movie’s wraparound story, which revolves around Jim and Cindy’s efforts at convincing a pair of skeptical bureaucrats (Shohreh Aghdashloo and Michael Arden) that they’re qualified to adopt a child of their own. The ensuing lack of suspense is somewhat problematic, admittedly, yet there quickly reaches a point at which one is nevertheless drawn into the affable proceedings – with the movie’s pervasively pleasant atmosphere heightened by an eclectic supporting cast that includes, among others, Ron Livingston, David Morse, James Rebhorn, and Common. It’s just as clear, however, that Hedges’ reliance on excessively deliberate pacing and seemingly needless subplots (eg Timothy’s weird friendship with a local teen) prove instrumental in cultivating a vibe of subdued indifference, as it does become more and more difficult to work up any real enthusiasm for the characters’ almost uniformly low-key exploits – which does, in turn, ensure that the tear-jerking finale isn’t quite able to pack the emotional punch that Hedges has obviously intended. The end result is a watchable endeavor that’s often more effective as an actor’s showcase than as a fully-realized drama, with the film’s mediocrity especially disappointing given the rather irresistible nature of its setup.

**1/2 out of ****