Adapted from the popular children’s book series The Faraway Tree by English author Enid Blyton, director Ben Gregor takes on the ambitious task of bringing the 87-year-old series to the big screen. The Magic Faraway Tree stars a British all-star cast including Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Nicola Coughlan and Rebecca Ferguson. The film draws from multiple books in the series, primarily the first instalment, The Enchanted Wood, despite being named after its sequel. The result is a colourful and charming family fantasy that modernises Blyton’s world while retaining much of its original whimsy.
The Magic Faraway Tree follows the Thompson family as they leave their busy city life behind and move to the countryside to start a new life. Initially reluctant to embrace their new start, the children discover a magical Faraway Tree, that transports them into various different, fantastical worlds, where they befriend a group of extravagant characters.
The film’s strongest feature is arguably the dynamic between Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy. I particularly enjoyed the decision to reverse the traditional gender roles within the family. Garfield’s Tim takes on the role of the stay-at-home father while Foy’s Polly is the visionary, hard-working wife pursuing her career. Garfield brings such warmth and charm to Tim that the dynamic never feels like it was inserted to appeal to a 2026 audience. Instead, the family feels completely believable and, importantly, never forced.
Opposite Garfield, Foy brings a determined energy to Polly, who is desperate to prove herself to her parents while balancing her ambitions with her family. At the beginning of the film, Tim and Polly have quite opposite viewpoints, but as the story progresses, they gradually learn to take pieces of each other’s personalities to create a more balanced version of each other. The relationship between them and the children provides some of the film’s most heartfelt moments.
Visually, the imagination of the different worlds is brilliantly joyful. There is so much colour splashed across the screen, with each land offering its own strange characters, and magical situations. The film gives each world enough time to establish itself, although I found myself wishing there was even more time to explore additional lands. The Faraway Tree is at its best when it allows itself to be completely whimsical, and Gregor’s direction ensures that these sequences feel lively and positively silly.
The screenplay, written by Simon Farnaby, best known for Paddington 2 and Wonka, is similarly playful. While the film never quite reaches the heights of Paddington 2, there is plenty to enjoy in Farnaby’s writing. The screenplay is deliberately straightforward, and some of the children can feel stereotypical and one-note, but Gregor’s direction and the film’s visuals help elevate the material.
Farnaby and Gregor modernise the story in response to some of the controversial outdated themes of Blyton’s original work. Rather than simply recreating the source material, the film creates a contemporary reason for the Thompson family to leave their old life behind. The original story sees the family relocate to rural England largely because of Tim’s new job, whereas the film reframes the story around a family increasingly consumed by technology and forced to reconnect with the real world. It may take a little while to get going, but once the magic kicks in, the film’s magic really begins to shine. What initially appears to be a typical fantasy children’s film gradually reveals itself to be a heartfelt family drama about chasing your dreams, adapting to change and having the ability to believe in the magic that life can bring.
At the heart of The Magic Faraway Tree is the three Thompson children, who are initially unwilling to embrace their new countryside lifestyle. This is particularly the case for the oldest sibling, Bethany (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), who stands as our technology-obsessed teenager who is left with no choice but to adapt to life without digitals. Watching the children slowly reconnect with one another through their adventures is sweet to see develop. Their encounters with the colourful characters of the Faraway Tree encourage them to work together, bringing them closer together, as a family.
The children learn what can be found when they put their technology away and experience the world around them. Garfield’s character acts as a mouthpiece to remind us all to look up, explore and spend time with the people around us which feels like a valued sentiment in today’s world.
Of all the residents living in the Faraway Tree, Silky (Nicola Coughlan) is the most prominent and easily most wonderful as the quirky and unassured fairy who adds a lovely light to the film. There are also some fun cameos throughout, though, I can imagine Michael Dapaah’s addition may feel like the film is swaying in a direction that is perhaps too modern and meta.
The film is not without its flaws. Some of the obstacles the children face can feel predictable, and the simplicity of the screenplay means that some characters never receive quite as much depth as they could. However, to me, these are largely outweighed by the film’s warmth, visual imagination and genuine affection for its characters. While I think the changes may frustrate loyal fans of the book, I personally think the changes work and will be relatable to parents trying to navigate raising children in a heavy technological era.
Overall, The Magic Faraway Tree is a sweet and lovely family film. It is a colourful, family-friendly fantasy that balances its magical adventures with a touching story about family, imagination and reconnecting with the world around you. It is without a doubt that you’ll leave the film with a greater appreciation for the English countryside and cottage life.
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