The Odd Life of Timothy Green Directed by: Peter Hedges Starring: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, Cameron 'CJ' Adams Rating: PG Release Date: August 15, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 6/10
Thoughts by TSR: If I had a nickel for every time I buried a box in the yard and a child covered in dirt showed up in the garage…
Judging by the shocked, yet apparently pleased reactions from Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton, it would seem it’s the first such instance of this happening to the couple in The Odd Life of Timothy Green. That premise sounds like it would be a decent jumping off point for a horror film, but the Disney logo is all one needs to figure out that’s not what we’re going to get. While I might have preferred this concept being turned into a cat-and-mouse horror tale, the movie we’re given looks like a harmless story, just odd enough to make me a little curious.
Much of this trailer is overly sweet, but there are a number of bright spots too. The first forty-five seconds between Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton are charming. These are the moments when they’re coming up with characteristics they want in their perfect child, and the two of them have strong chemistry. Jennifer Garner has been in a fair few bad films, but her exceptional work in Juno makes me interested in whatever she’s up to next. Add in the fact that this is another film where she wants – but can’t have – a child and perhaps they’re onto something. Joel Edgerton is an interesting screen presence. This is different from his other recent roles, so good for him for branching out.
Once the titular Timothy Green shows up the couple appears to accept him as their own without much question. This could be editing, and in the film they may freak out accordingly, but I’ll admit there’s a peculiar charm to them simply accepting the “gift” they’ve been given. That gift comes in the form of a dirt covered child who has an affinity for posing with his arms raised. That happens three times, which is roughly two times too many.
Still, it’s nice to have a project that isn’t based on any pre-existing materials. If Garner and Edgerton can carry the film through its more saccharine moments, then The Odd Life of Timothy Green could serve as a nice change of pace during summer 2012.