Despite some emotionally mature themes and a decent sense of atmosphere, 'The Secret Garden (2020)' feels relatively uninspired and lifeless. It isn't particularly engaging and its protagonist is somewhat abrasive (abrasive by design but abrasive nevertheless). It does have some strong set-design; the eponymous garden is lavish and bright, contrasting nicely with the drab yet grand mansion that acts as its counterpoint. The performances are all decent (although the main male character is actually rather annoying) and the ending does a good job of tying all the subtext together. It's not a terrible experience, but it isn't exactly good, either. It just sort of unfolds in front of you, only occasionally getting you involved with its narrative. It's just about passable, but I wouldn't really recommend it. 4/10
The Secret Garden
2020
Action / Drama / Family / Fantasy / Mystery
The Secret Garden
2020
Action / Drama / Family / Fantasy / Mystery
Plot summary
Mary Lennox is a spoiled 10-year-old girl of rich parents who grew up in India. After her parents die from cholera, Mary is sent to live in Misselthwaite Manor in Yorkshire with her uncle Archibald Craven and the housekeeper Mrs. Medlock. Mary discovers that the house holds many secrets. There she finds a key that leads her to a garden held locked for years by her uncle after his wife's death. Soon she finds a room in the manor where her sick cousin Colin has spent his entire life in his bed, completely unable to walk. But Mary and her new friend Dickon manage to bring the garden back to life, and in the garden Colin learns to walk and becomes a healthy, happy boy. When Lord Craven sees the children playing in the garden one day, he is amazed by the sight of his son walking. He feels joy for the first time in years.
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It should have stayed a secret.
So disappointed
If you have read the book, then prepare to be disappointed This doesn't do the book justice at all. The deviation from the original story lost everything that was special about the book.
If you haven't read the book then it's possible you may like this film, but if you are a fan of the book then avoid this film at all costs.
Tolerable
Recently orphaned Mary is sent from a life of bossy luxury to live at the decrepit stately home of a never-seen uncle who she didn't know she had. There are secrets in the household, and secrets in the grounds, and Mary gradually begins tomdiscover them. They are, for the most part, not happy secrets.
I have not read the novel and, although I saw the 1993 film and, perhaps, one of the BBC serialisations, that has largely escaped my memory. Accordingly, I am not making comparisons, I am considering the film entirely on its own.
It is a story about loss and grief, friendship and hope, healing and redemption, set in a mixture of gloomy reality and highly coloured fantasy, with just a hint of ghost storybsprinkled on top. The performers all play well, the film is handsomely mounted, and the story resolves satisfactorily if a little peremptorily.
The colourblind casting of Dickon and Martha didn't worry me, although I felt it was probably a little unlikely. And there was a distinct element of "And then they were free" to the ending.
But, overall, this was an agreeable film.