There is no finer innovation than a family trying to get out of financial trouble. The second feature film by Ant Timpson (Come to Daddy), Bookworm at its core, is a testament to the spirit of survival and the notion that no matter how grim things are, imagination and family can see you through. 11-year-old Mildred’s (Nell Fisher) world is turned upside down when her estranged Father, the washed-up magician Strawn Wise (Elijah Wood), comes to look after her and agrees to take her camping to find a mythological beast known as the Canterbury Panther. Along the way, they learn the will to overcome your fears is only as strong as your spirit and if you have the right people around you, the monsters soon disappear.
Most people who grew up in disadvantage backgrounds can feel where Mildred is coming from. You find yourself getting lost in other worlds, brought to you by films, books, or video games or you throw yourself into sports. For Mildred, it’s books. Director Ant Timpson and writer Toby Harvard have managed to pull a balance between sincerity and classic adventure, melting the hearts of even the most hardened. Audiences can soar with the adventure and shenanigans but fall for characters you find yourself rooting for over and over again. The film has a great deal of heart and the notion that you will do anything to make your family’s lives better is felt through every decision Mildred and her Strawn Wise take.
In a bid to entertain Mildred, Strawn takes her into the tough New Zealand outback to find the elusive Canterbury Panther. The quest for the mythical creature brings them closer together, touching on us being drawn to ideas and tasks bigger than ourselves when we’re going through the worst.
Nell Fisher comes out of the film as one of the most exciting young actors of the moment. She’s funny, charming and genuinely sincere when the script calls for it. Elijah breezes through with his well-known range and comedic timing, and the two bounce off of each other like they’ve known each other for years. They are fun and flighty when the adventure is at its peak, but weigh the whole thing when danger is near, coming out of it changed but with an understanding that can never be erased.
A film that speaks to an audience with its own vibe and doesn’t impose on its audience what to think or feel, it’s definitely one to watch if you love magic. If you left believing in magic in your childhood desk drawer, give this one a try and go back to your summer holiday daydreams of yesteryear.
Bookworm had its US premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024
Sampira’s Archive – Bookworm (2024)
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