When October rolls around each year, movie ads are often dominated by the horror genre as Halloween draws near. I’m not a fan of horror—scares for the sake of scares are not my thing—though I know plenty of people who enjoy that sort of thing. For those like me who would welcome some on-screen fare that’s a little tamer for Halloween, look no further than Grow, a new movie coming to theaters on October 17th. For more information, visit the film’s website here.
With its quirky British humor and sweet protagonist, Grow celebrates the fall harvest time, especially pumpkins. Charlie (Priya-Rose Brookwell) lives at an orphanage and dreams of the day when her mother will return for her. After years of searching, the administrators discover that Charlie’s mother had changed her last name, but they located an aunt. Thus begins Charlie’s pumpkin-growing adventures.
Dinah Little (Golda Rosheuvel) runs a struggling little farm near the village of Mugford, the self-proclaimed pumpkin capital of the world. When her niece is thrust into her world, Dinah introduces Charlie to farm life and discovers the girl has a special connection to plants. While sitting outside one day, her palms brush over some wildflowers who “tell” her that they’re too hot, so she transplants them into a shady spot where they thrive.
As Dinah shows Charlie around town, the youngster notices that the place is “psycho mad” for anything pumpkin. The annual event not to be missed: the pumpkin growing contest. Charlie decides to grow her own. Since she’s got a whole town of experts, she sets out to seek advice from her neighbors, but the pumpkin-obsessed townsfolk will not share their secrets.
Enter Arlo (Nick Frost). He won way back in 2010 and his efforts since then have been frustrating. As a friend of Dinah’s, he agrees to help Charlie grow a pumpkin for the contest, hoping to get back some of the glory he’s lost. When a mysterious individual starts sabotaging pumpkins, it becomes all out “vegetable warfare.”
Grow is full of crazy, quirky, and funny characters who will do almost anything to grow the prize-winning pumpkin. The over-the-top antics make the film a lot of fun, even if it’s a bit silly at times. The film also sports an environmental angle, promoting natural growing as opposed to chemically-enhanced methods.
The heart of Grow is in the budding relationship between Dinah and Charlie, two lonely souls who find that their new life together is not without its challenges, whether that be from within the family or from the pumpkin-crazed people around them. After all, no relationship worth its salt can be had without the effort to work through hurts, setbacks, and growing pains.