A 12-year-old boy (Lewis MacDougall) is bullied at school, and to make matters worse, his mother (Felicity Jones) is dying. A giant anthropomorphic tree (voiced by Liam Neeson ) appears to tell the boy fables, which are animated in a lovely water color style. Although I heard a few sniffles in the theater, I found this film excruciatingly cloying. The atmosphere was morose from start to finish with nary a bright moment. While the subject matter is certainly sad, the film’s eccentric story, listless pace and relentless gloomy approach result in a lack of any real emotional connection. EASTER EGG: Look for Neeson’s foto in a quick pan across a table.
(2 / 5)