Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan’s new British movie is the ideal family watch for Easter

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I’ve become a huge fan of Simon Farnaby! He just has a knack for taking beloved British stories – like Paddington 2 and Wonka – and making them absolutely perfect for the whole family to watch together. And it’s not just movies! He’s consistently delivered laughs for all ages on TV too, with shows like Horrible Histories and Ghosts – which is brilliant, and he even helped create that one! You just know anything he’s involved with is going to be good.

He’s now working on a film based on Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, a series that was previously turned into a 13-episode animated TV show in 1997. The movie tells the story of Polly (Claire Foy) and Tim Thompson (Andrew Garfield) who move to the country with their three children and stumble upon a magical adventure that could improve their lives.

While The Magic Faraway Tree might not be quite as amazing as Paddington 2 (which is a really high bar!), it’s still a delightful, funny, and heartwarming fantasy comedy – perfect for families to enjoy at the movies this Easter.

Based on the first two books in the series, The Magic Faraway Tree tells the story of Fran, Beth, and Joe, three siblings who find a magical tree and meet its unusual inhabitants, like Silky and Moonface.

As soon as my family and I got to Netherbridge, Silky invited me to see this amazing tree! My siblings were pretty annoyed about the terrible WiFi, but I eventually convinced Beth and Joe to come with me. And wow, that tree led us to the most incredible places! We visited a Land of Goodies – seriously, every sweet you could imagine was there – and even the Land of Birthdays, where you get one wish! It was unbelievable.

This story doesn’t have a strong central plot, but it features a fantastic group of supporting actors. Keep an eye out for fun, quirky appearances by Mark Heap, Lenny Henry, and Michael Palin as the children travel to different places.

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The story centers on Tim’s attempt to start his own pasta sauce business, with some tension arising from a ruined harvest. However, the show is really about creating a lighthearted and imaginative atmosphere, and it also offers a message about the benefits of disconnecting from technology, which many parents will appreciate.

While the script doesn’t consistently reach the peak of clever humor established early on, it gives the incredibly talented actors plenty of room to be delightful and captivating. Nicola Coughlan, perfectly suited for her role, particularly shines among the magical tree’s eccentric inhabitants, and Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy successfully prevent the film from becoming overly sentimental.

The show is most charming during its final musical number, and the young actors deserve praise for making it sweet instead of overly sentimental. It doesn’t deliver the same strong emotional impact as a deeply personal moment, but The Magic Faraway Tree is so genuinely kind-hearted that you’ll surprisingly find yourself caring about whether the Thompson children can save their father’s tomatoes.

You don’t need to be familiar with Enid Blyton’s books to enjoy The Magic Faraway Tree. While fans will appreciate the clever updates – like the humorous change of the character Dame Snap’s name – the film is designed so everyone, whether they know the original stories or not, can have fun.

While it might not become as beloved a British classic as the Paddington films, The Magic Faraway Tree is charming enough that you’ll likely watch it if you happen to see it on television in the future.

The Magic Faraway Tree is out now in cinemas.

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2026-03-27 10:22