The Magic Faraway Tree

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https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/movies/the-magic-faraway-tree

Date Reviewed: 31/03/2026

The Magic Faraway Tree already had a place in my mind before I even watched it. I can still picture my mum reading it to me a few years ago, sitting beside me and turning the pages while I followed along, completely pulled into that world. I can even imagine the moment the book closed at the end of the night, without either of us knowing it would be one of the last times we visited that strange, special place until years later. Going into the cinema, I did not expect the film to be perfect, but I did want it to bring back the same feeling the books gave me when I was younger. Not many films can return you to that kind of warmth, but this one takes one all the way back.

Directed by Ben Gregor and written for the screen by Simon Farnaby, the film begins with the Thompson family moving to the countryside. Tim and Polly Thompson, played by Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, feel like more than typical background parents, which helps ground the story from the start. The move itself matters because it pulls the children away from the distractions of modern life, and the film subtly touches on how much technology shapes the way children experience the world now. In contrast, the countryside feels open, unfamiliar, and full of things that actually need to be noticed. That is what makes the Faraway Tree feel meaningful when it appears. It is not just a magical setting dropped into the plot, but a discovery made through curiosity.

Fran (played by Billie Gadsdon), the middle child, is the one first drawn towards the forbidden woods, that sense of curiosity leading her to the Tree in the first place. Once she convinces her siblings Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy) and Joe (Phoenix Laroche) to follow, the film opens up into something much more imaginative. The Faraway Tree itself feels huge and alive, with rough bark, bright flowers cascading down its trunk, and a height that makes it seem both inviting and slightly intimidating. 

The Magic Faraway Tree has a long and winding ladder which leads to different worlds that rotate daily, making the tree almost serve as a checkpoint. Once the children begin climbing with some inhabitants of the Magic Faraway Tree (Moonface, Silky, and The Saucepan Man) the world above becomes brighter, stranger, and more chaotic. The marshmallow trees, sweet-themed details, and the Land of Birthdays are playful, excessive, and slightly absurd, but that is exactly why they work. The fantasy does not feel too polished or controlled. It feels unpredictable, which suits the story much better.

The cast adds a lot to the film’s charm. Moonface (Nonso Anozie) is easily one of the most memorable characters, with the right balance of humour, oddness, and warmth. Silky (Nicola Coughlan) brings a calmer, softer presence that keeps the film from becoming too loud. Dame Washalot (Jessica Gunning) and the Saucepan Man (Dustin Demri-Burns) are also distinctive enough to leave an impression, instead of just feeling like random fantasy side characters. Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy also stand out as Tim and Polly Thompson, giving the parents a sense of realism and warmth that helps ground the story alongside all the fantasy elements.

My main criticism is the pacing. Because the film tries to fit in so many lands, characters, and ideas, some parts move too quickly. A few of the worlds feel more like quick glimpses than real places, which is frustrating because the visual design is so imaginative. There were definitely moments where I wanted the film to slow down and stay in the strangeness a little longer instead of rushing to the next thing.

Even with that, I still think it is a charming adaptation. It captures the sense of wonder that made the books so memorable in the first place, while still feeling fresh enough to work as its own film. More than anything, it reminded me why I loved the story at all. It was never just about the fantasy itself, but about that feeling of being completely drawn into another world, and for parts of this film, that feeling came back.

Reviewed by Mika Begelfor