Simple story lacks depth and cinematic feel – but kids will get swept up in the fun.

Prolific TV director Ben Gregor ( Brassic , Black Ops ) isn’t the most obvious choice to helm a family-friendly flick based on work by Enid Blyton.

He teams up with comic actor Simon Farnaby ( Ghosts , This Time with Alan Partridge ), who wrote the screenplay, and a formidable cast which includes Andrew Garfield ( Tim ) and Claire Foy ( Polly ).

The story sees Tim , Polly and their kids Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), Fran (Billie Gadsdon) and Joe (Phoenix Laroche) relocate to the countryside, where the children discover a magical tree with eccentric residents.

My nine-year-old niece was visiting and wanted to see this film – and declared it “very good” – but from an adult’s perspective, it felt like an episode of a television show instead of a movie.

It was full of magical wonder, however, the baddie was barely in it and the ending was sudden and anti-climatic.

Rebecca Ferguson plays the villain of the piece, Dame Snap . She was menacing and creepy and had the potential to be so much more evil if given the screen time.

The family are reminiscent of all households, with their fighting, love of devices, sweet moments and inevitable fellowship by the end.

The setting up of a tomato farm is a story you root for as Tim’s enthusiasm is infectious.

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Quiet middle child Fran discovers The Faraway Tree and unlocks the adventure, where she and her siblings explore different lands.

The locations are fun but full of danger, although, sadly, we don’t get to see many of them.

Luckily, the tree’s inhabitants are a quirky bunch. The standout is Nicola Coughlan’s fairy Silky; the Bridgerton and Derry Girls actress is delightful and full of love.

Mark Heap stars as Mr Oom Boom Boom and is akin to a wicked version of his Friday Night Dinner character, while writer Farnaby has a hilarious role as the farmer, with a great moment coming during the end credits.

The simple story of a family coming back together with the help of a magical world and its residents barks up the wrong tree, depth-wise, for adults.

Kids will love it, though.

● Pop me an email at ian.bunting@reachplc.com and I will pass on any movie or TV show recommendations you have to your fellow readers.

● The Magic Faraway Tree is showing in cinemas now.

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