THE ODD LIFE OF TIMOTHY GREEN (Rated PG)

Where is it written that every film released in the summer must feature explosions, gun play, car chases and even superheroes trying to outwit each other?  

Just when you think that originality is somehow more uncommon than airline carriers arriving on time, along comes the inspiring, magical story of “The Odd Life of Timothy Green.”  
 
Writer and director Peter Hedges, who previously adapted his first novel “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape” into a feature film, is the right person to bring enchantment to the screen with this new Disney film.

Oh, by the way, unlike so many other summer films, this one truly is an entertainment for the entire family, with the exception of only the very youngest who are mainly drawn to animated stories.

There’s something wonderfully old-fashioned about a happily married couple living in the idyllic rural town of Stanleyville where the main industry is a pencil factory.

Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) are eager to fill one void in their otherwise pleasant lives. The couple has been unable to produce a child of their own.

One night, they write on paper all the great qualities they would love to have in a child, such as a great heart, a sense of humor, honest disposition and the ability to score a winning goal in a big game.

All the notes about an ideal child are placed in a wooden box and buried in the garden. Even though the area has been subject to a drought, a thunderstorm that same night delivers precious water to the garden.

Low and behold, a 10-year-old boy named Timothy (CJ Adams), covered in mud and leaves, suddenly materializes at the doorstep of the Green household.

The Greens introduce themselves by their first names, but Timothy is quick to call them Mom and Dad, and thus begins an interesting fantasy saga about a little boy who brings familial love where it did not fully exist.

Naturally, Timothy is unique and different, all the more so since leaves sprout near his ankles. Yet eager to fit in, Timothy wears long socks, even while swimming, to cover his flaws.

Though his status would be impossible to explain, the Greens don’t even bother to say much of anything to relatives who arrive the next day for a long-planned family picnic.

The family dynamic proves interesting. Cindy’s sister Brenda (Rosemarie DeWitt), who has her own “perfect” children, is disdainful of the new arrival. But Uncle Bub (M. Emmet Walsh), with his own quirky sense of humor, feels an immediate rapport with the amusing Timothy.

Meanwhile, Jim’s father (David Morse), known as Big Jim, remains aloof and never gave approval to his own son, but Timothy just might crack the old man’s façade of cold detachment.

Of course, the small town is filled with oddball characters, such Dianne Wiest’s Bernice Crudstaff, the uptight wealthy boss of the Pencil Museum where Cindy Green works as a docent.

Other characters have no particular charm or endearing quirks, such as Ron Livingston’s Franklin Crudstaff, the uncaring boss at the Pencil Factory where Jim Green is a supervisor.  

In the age of the Internet, the factory faces hard times and may have to close. But Timothy, with the help of his only friend Joni (Odeya Rush), saves the day with an inspired new product.

Because the film needs a villain, Franklin Crudstaff tries to take credit for Timothy’s invention, but there’s probably no need to tell you whether he’ll be unmasked for his deception.
 
Cynics will scoff at the family fairy tale of Timothy Green’s “Odd Life,” and their thoughts may well be derisive, scornful, sarcastic and even hostile.  
     
Yet, an open mind to the simple pleasures of “The Odd Life of Timothy Green,” which is by no means flawless in its execution, may prove more rewarding.  A little cuteness and suspension of disbelief never hurt anyone.

Indeed, the simple story of a childless couple and their special “gift” is emotional, heartwarming, funny and deeply touching, and so “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” is undeniably magical.

DVD RELEASE UPDATE

Just recently, this space of the column celebrated the good fortune of vintage TV detective shows being released on DVD.

This week it is time to commemorate another classic 1970s police drama that starred a young Michael Douglas as the college educated inspector Steve Keller.

If you didn’t guess, another season of “The Streets of San Francisco” is getting the full screen format treatment in two volumes.

“The Streets of San Francisco: Season Four: Volume One & Volume Two” DVD sets combined provide nearly 20 hours of thrilling crime drama entertainment.

Along with Michael Douglas, the series starred the wonderful Karl Malden as the 20-year veteran detective Lt. Mike Stone.

Douglas’ inspector Keller may have a lot to learn about being a police detective, but Malden’s Lt. Stone is the perfect mentor.

“The Streets of San Francisco” is a great police drama with excellent storylines and great performances from the winning combination of Douglas and Malden.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.