Oddballs

Film Trailer

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a beautiful reminder of the pearl that "we are all on borrowed time." No matter how fleeting our lives are there is beauty to be seen, love to feel and give, magic to spread and fun to have.

Thinking back before my first child was born I remember my husband and I trying to envision what our children would be like. Like other parents, we imagined our children evolving from the best parts of the garden of our genes us and hope they are spared the less than endearing qualities. You pray they will naturally evolve into the best versions of themselves and that you have the skills, guts, will and foresight to provide the nutrients they require to help them grow.

You are never quite ready to be a parent. When Timothy Green shows up for small town desperately wanna be parents Cynthia (Jennifer Garner) & Jim (Joel Edgerton), it's clear he is made for them. He inhabits all of the qualities on their wishlist and fulfills all the desires they planted for their not-to-perfect but ideal child.

Timothy, played by CJ JAMES, is darling.

Except, not all of the qualities parents find so endearing about their children play out well with others, especially among the uptight overachieving competitive parents. It takes a strong secure child to show up purely as they are. That is seen as odd in our trying to fit square pegs into round hole molds of a society rather then cultivating individuality.

Timothy is his sunny optimistic charming self throughout and teaches us all about the bright side of life. For example, when placed for the first time on the soccer field and completely falling on his face, Timothy stands up smiling and pronounces "I can only get better!"

Indeed, life is all about progress and soaking in the sun.

 His corny parents are flying by the seat of their new parent pants as they figure out their boundaries and learn from their mistakes. Not wanting to put to much pressure on Timothy to have a great day, Jim says "have the day you have." They are his biggest cheerleaders and their love as well as the pain of their pasts are evident.

Any parent of a child with special needs knows that part of the journey is embracing what makes your child different.  We are all oddballs but anyone who has really felt like one will relate to Timothy.

Our time together is so fleeting and so precious. We can choose to see each other for all our faults or embrace the love that connects us.

In the end, it's the love that leaves the seeds behind to be re-planted for the future.

When God Gave You to Me (Memorial Quote)“When God gave you to me he never said that you were mine, that I
could keep you always-- only borrowed for a time. Now, He's called you
home, I'm sad and I shed tears. Yet, I'm glad He loaned you to me and
we had these many years.”

Mommas Pearls Meter: 3 Pearls on the heart strings

The Odd Life of Timothy Green

Disney * Rated PG

Directed by Peter Hedges 

Official Movie Site 

Film Trailer & Videos

Disney is sponsoring a sock drive in connection with the Film. 

Facebook

Twitter

Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post but was generously invited to an advance screening of the Film. All opinions are honest to a fault. :)