The Hollywood Reporter's Frank Scheck delivers a lukewarm review of "The Magic Faraway Tree," a film adaptation of Enid Blyton's 1943 children's novel starring Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield, calling it "relentlessly twee and sugary" and likely to appeal only to the youngest viewers. Unlike British children's classics such as "Mary Poppins" or "Paddington" that have successfully crossed over to American audiences, the reviewer suggests this one is unlikely to replicate that success despite its starry cast.

Foy and Garfield play Polly and Tim, a couple who move their three children from London to the countryside after Polly quits her job, eventually leading the youngest child, Fran, to discover a fairy named Silky who introduces her to a cast of eccentric characters living in the Magic Faraway Tree. The film, directed by Ben Gregor and written by Simon Farnaby, boasts an extensive supporting cast including Nicola Coughlan, Judi Dench, Michael Palin, Lenny Henry and Jennifer Saunders, and is rated PG with a 1 hour 50 minute runtime, releasing on Friday, 21 August.