Quirky characters, laboured themes
This Beautiful Fantastic (PG, 92mins), directed by Simon Aboud, ★★★
There’s nothing normal about Bella Brown (Jessica Brown Findlay). The ‘‘oddest of oddballs’’, she is panicked by flora and her preoccupation with order would try the patience of a saint.
And yet, while she’s considered a strange creature by her curmudgeonly next-door neighbour Alfred (Tom Wilkinson), there’s something likeable about the young library worker who dreams of being a children’s book author.
There’s just one problem in Alfred’s eyes though – Bella’s wanton neglect for her garden. Best described as a ‘‘horticultural graveyard’’, a jungle of weeds rule in her backyard. Already a fractious relationship, the fencemates’ bonhomie is threatened when Alfred fires his long-serving meals-provider, Vernon (Andrew Scott), only for Bella to snap up his services to seemingly spite him.
But any sense of satisfaction quickly turns to horror for her as her landlord issues an eviction notice for failing to look after the grounds. Only some quick thinking and Vernon’s encyclopedic knowledge of tenancy laws earn her a onemonth stay of execution in which to find her green fingers.
A tale emphasising the power of words and books, British writerdirector Simon Aboud’s (Comes a Bright Day) dramedy is let down by some predictable plotting and portentous dialogue.
A combination of the likes Benny & Joon and The Lady in the Van, Aboud’s tale is filled with quirky characters whose differences you just know will be resolved by the final reel. Likewise, there’s a fantastical Amelie-esque element which sort of just evaporates as the story focuses on more down-to-earth, depressingly familiar dramatic beats.
It’s a pity because there are some nice performances on display. Downton Abbey‘s Finlay reminds one of a young Winona Ryder as she winsomely juggles learning to garden with letting her guard down, while the alwayswatchable Andrew Scott (TV’s Sherlock) once again proves to be a scene-stealer with his kindly cook.
Less memorable are Jeremy Irvine’s (War Horse) absentminded potential love interest and, surprisingly, Wilkinson (Denial) himself. So often a compelling presence, here he’s saddled with a one-dimensional grouch-witha-hidden-heart-of-gold that he never truly makes his own. – James Croot