Today’s
movie reminds me of most of my favorite stories when I was younger. I’ve always appreciated imaginative,
enterprising children in my fiction, and the Edwardian family at the center of
this film are equal parts Pevensie, boxcar, and Baudelaire. While it’s not one I would’ve actively sought
out if it weren’t Capaldi Fall, it makes for an enjoyable, slightly nostalgic
hour-and-a-half.
The
five Bastable children have a problem.
Their father, a down-on-his-luck inventor, is deep in debt, and his
Scrooge of a loan shark is eager to collect.
Clever and plucky as they are, the Bastables take it upon themselves to
help solve the family’s money woes.
They’re determined to save the day, whether that involves digging for
treasure, inventing million-pound miracle cures, or capturing the bailiff
before their home can be repossessed.
Since they’re all adorable moppets with a lot of spirit who attract the
sympathy of kind-hearted adults, and it’s that kind of movie, I probably don’t
have to tell you whether or not they succeed in the end.
Noel,
the middle Bastable, is a pint-sized poet, and he comes up with a scheme to
sell his verses to a newspaper and make his fortune. This leads him to Mr. Jellicoe, an editor
played by PC. While it’s clear that
Jellicoe doesn’t think much of Noel as a writer – his attempt to read one of
Noel’s submissions with a straight face is both amusing and admirable – he
keeps his behavior professional and refrains from talking down to Noel.
Since
the film meanders with the children’s ideas at any given moment, it’s a small
role, but it’s nice. Jellicoe reminds me
a little of Mr. Whiskers in The Greatest
Store in the World – a man concerned chiefly with getting his job done, but
one who can’t help but spare a bit of time for a needy, resourceful child
thrown into his path.
As for
other actors, one of the Bastable youngsters is played by Felicity Jones, who
appeared on Who in series 4’s “The
Unicorn and the Wasp”; she also played a delightful Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey a few years back. Additionally, keep your eyes out for an
eleven(!)-year-old Keira Knightley in a small role.
Accent Watch
Definitely
Scottish.
Recommend?
In
General
– Maybe. If you like light,
family-oriented period pieces, or if you like clever children living by their
wits and charms, you’d probably enjoy it.
PC-wise – Not necessarily. Very small role, and while nice enough, it’s
nothing special.
Warnings
Nothing
to report.
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