Previews of Anne Hathaway’s performance of “I Dreamed A Dream” along with Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” over- shadowed the overly cheesy, awkward story of “The Odd Life of Timothy Green”.

After learning they cannot have a child of their own, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton) spend a night coming up with all of the desirable characteristics of their would-be child. They bury the box with these characteristics in the garden, only to find that overnight they “grew” 10-year-old Timothy (CJ Adams). The movie follows Timothy as he meets his family, touches the lives of everyone he meets and predictably makes each and every one of his parents’ wishes come true, but not without a few bumps in the road, in true Disney fashion.

I found the quality of acting acceptable and severely overshadowed by the predictabil- ity of the writing. Constant attempts at heart- wrenching sentimentality robbed the seldom moments of earnest emotion of their value, from the possibilities of job loss to the absent father figure. The writing, by Peter Hedges and Ahmet Zappa, pulled out each and every tear jerking trick in the book with very little success.

However, for a supposedly charming Dis- ney film, “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” was incredibly short on laughs and the quirky, upbeat Disney charm that I have grown oh-so- accustomed to. Don’t get me wrong, the fantasy was there. From the magical leaves sprouting on the calves of Timothy, to the coincidental fulfillment of Cindy and Jim’s prophecy for a perfect child, the infamous Disney magic was forced and uncomfortable throughout the movie.

The script was very much “been there, done that” while simultaneously trying too hard to be different. From the two parents wanting nothing more than a child to call their own to the magical granting of their wish.

I also can’t help but question the purpose of the relationship between sidekick Joni (Odeya Rush) who overlooks quirky Timothy, which was confusing and awkward with seemingly no advancement for the plot except to show just how impactful Timothy Green was on the fic- tional town of Stanleyville, for the hundredth time.

There were a few touching moments in the movie that stood out from the tacky pulls at the heartstrings. The back and forth between Timothy and his great uncle was adorable and carried most of the laughs for the entirety of the film.

Another bright spot was the acting by Garner and Edgerton. Garner’s desperation for motherhood in the early moments of the movie were reminiscent of her role in “Juno”; however, her character evolved into an endearing mama bear figure who wanted nothing but the best for her baby. Edgerton had his shining moments standing up to his absent father and making the conscious decision to stereotypically be the fa- ther he never had.

If you feel any need or desire to watch the awkward growth of Timothy Green, I strongly recommend satiating your appetite for a new film with something else, and waiting for this one on Redbox.