Tom's Midnight Garden

I'd never heard of this movie before today, and had no intention of watching it. I stopped by my parents' house to feed their cat, and offhandedly flipped the TV on, about 10 minutes into the movie. Oh look, I thought, another dry British film. Wow, Greta Scacchi does a pretty good accent. Next thing I knew, I had my coat off, it was 2 hours later, and the film was over. It grabbed me just like that. Of course, I may be biased -- I have a thing for "time travel" stories of any kind, and this one was so subtle that I found it especially intriguing. Anybody who's ever felt a bit alone or abandoned at some point in their life should get a lift from this story. And there's a nice underlying message about the ability of true friendship to transcend both gender and age.

Unlike many films of this nature, this film does not spend ages character building before launching into the story. The pre-story is short, with the film being plot driven. The characters are not explored in depth, instead it is the relationship between Tom and Hatty that is the focus.

That is not to say that you do not feel for the characters, the empathy is there. Like the best films, not everything is explained, and it is for you to discover it for yourself, leaving you with the desire to say your discovery to the characters. Slowly you become drawn into Tom's world.

The settings are beautiful, the characters are generally well acted, and the ending, whilst obvious, is still wonderful. Warning: may lead to tears !

I would, without question, recommend this film. It appeals to everyone from children to adults, and works on a few different levels.

If you like well done stories such as the Secret Garden this will appeal to you. The cast of mostly unknown actors give excellent performances. This is the type of movie that Britain does well. The actresses playing Hatty are appealing and the settings and production values are outstanding. While primarily a children's film, this production will appeal to all ages. It was not released theatrically in the States but is on several Cable channels. Don't miss it.

This is a delightful family film - well acted, well produced and quite touching. You may even feel a little bit of a lump in your throat by the end credits. The film really rests on the shoulders of young Anthony Way. I don't know how much acting he has dome, but he does a credible job here. Fair warning: if you and your kids are more into explosions, cartoon violence and fast action then this is not the movie for you. If you and the family are able to sit still and let the story unfold quietly and gently and slowly draw you in then you will really enjoy this. My family certainly did.

So few people know of this flick. Saw it last year on cable and tried to watch it every time it showed up. Can't purchase on DVD yet. Cast is perfect but it's the English gardens that steal this movie. Add a decent plot and beautiful locations and this one is a hit. Sit back and enjoy, it's delightful.