I love movies and while I used to watch them all the time, have fallen out of the habit over the years. Due to some scheduling changes, I found myself at home alone on Friday afternoons. By the time Fridays roll around every moment of my week has been scheduled and I have very little brain power or energy left. Enter, my Friday afternoon movie date.
My cozy little movie date is a delicious new habit and gives me a chance to eat some lunch, recharge and gently roll into the weekend. So far I’ve watched New in Town, Leap Year and the absolutely lovely, and new to me, This Beautiful Fantastic.
This Beautiful Fantastic is one of my favorite types of films. It drops you into the very normal days of Bella Brown, played by Jessica Brown Findlay (otherwise known as Lady Sybil Crawly in Downton Abbey). Bella is slightly reclusive and works in the local library. Nothing major is happening in her life until she faces eviction due to not keeping her garden from getting wildly overgrown.
Enter her crotchety neighbor, Alfie Stephenson, played by the wonderful Tom Wilkinson. He’s meddlesome, curmudgeonly and begins to teach her about gardening. As she begins to pull up the weeds that have taken root in her garden, her personal life begins to change as well. She meets Billy, an inventor who frequents the library and becomes friends with Vernon, Alfie’s cook.
It’s a small film. Nothing much happens and yet, everything happens. It reminded me of a gentler Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. So if you’re looking for a quiet, beautifully shot, heartwarming and feel-good film, this is a great one!