Caught between the tendrils of “Swiss Family Robinson” and the fish-out-water jokes that make “The Parent Trap” legendary, Ant Timpson’s “Bookworm” should be celebrated as an instant classic. That’s true not just for fans of the old-fashioned family adventure genre but for any cinephiles seeking a heartfelt father-daughter quest that’s drenched in sun, mystery, and fart jokes this fall.
For the visionary director’s sophomore feature, Timpson reunites his “Come to Daddy” cohorts to tremendous, even dazzling effect. The filmmaker once again collaborates with star Elijah Wood, writer Toby Harvard, and cinematographer Dan Katz — this time for a kid-friendly romp hunting a local legend through the director’s native New Zealand wilderness. You can watch the stunning trailer above, which IndieWire exclusively debuts ahead of the film‘s U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest on September 22.
Opposite newcomer Nell Fisher (soon to be seen in “Stranger Things” Season 5) as the unstoppable Mildred, Wood plays his daughter’s de facto sidekick/sleight-of-hand magician, Strawn Wise. With a name like that, you just know this deadbeat dad is a David Copperfield fan (nope, the other one) — and maybe the only adult available to help this 11-year-old girl? Yikes. When Mildred’s mother (Morgana O’Reilly) ends up in the hospital, the titular bookworm hatches an ingenious plan to pay her medical bills. Just get out there, go camping, and find the Canterbury Panther: a local legend worth $50,000 to anyone who can get video proof that it exists.
The tender two-hander is way outside the tone that turned Timpson’s previous house of horrors into an atypical triumph among slasher buffs — but the pivot is that much more striking as a testament to his skills as a razor-sharp executor of any genre. “Bookworm” made its world premiere opening Fantasia Fest in Montreal, Canada on July 18, where IndieWire gave it a Critic’s Pick review. The creative team’s latest meditation on subpar parenting suggests Timpson can make any type of movie he sets his mind to, and it further recommends Fisher and Wood as an odd-couple comedy duo worth pairing again.
Good for little humans and grown-ups alike, this is one wildlife expedition that’s absolutely worth seeing on the big screen. If not to witness a panther that may or may not be real, then for Katz’s gorgeous landscape photography and a performance from supporting actor Michael Smily (another “Come to Daddy” vet!) that’s too good to spoil. Vanessa Stacey, Theo Shakes, Nikki Si’ulepa, Millen Baird, and more complete the charming cast.
“Bookworm” is available in theaters and on demand October 18. The film is distributed by Vertical Entertainment. It will make its U.S. premiere at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas on September 22.
