In post-war England, Tom is sent to live with his aunt and uncle while his younger brother has measles. Frustrated at being confined because his is possibly infectious, he sneaks out when the old clock in the hallway of the big house (converted to flats) strikes 13, only to find himself in a sunlit garden where he meets a young girl called Hattie. The two form a bond, and Tom sneaks out to meet her every night. Is she a ghost? Is he hallucinating? Is something else at work?
Dressed up as a kind of Victorian ghost story - which, in a way, it is - this is actually quite another kind of story. Gentle and wistful and, ultimately, rather bittersweet, the narrative never quite goes where you expect it to. There are several blind alleys where there is every expectation of certain characters creating jeopardy, and maybe they do, maybe they don't.
The adult cast are good. The young cast members have a big load to carry and, while they are better than British child performers often are, I can't help thinking that American equivalents would have been much more naturalistic.
But this is essentially a good hearted and emotionally involving journey.
Dressed up as a kind of Victorian ghost story - which, in a way, it is - this is actually quite another kind of story. Gentle and wistful and, ultimately, rather bittersweet, the narrative never quite goes where you expect it to. There are several blind alleys where there is every expectation of certain characters creating jeopardy, and maybe they do, maybe they don't.
The adult cast are good. The young cast members have a big load to carry and, while they are better than British child performers often are, I can't help thinking that American equivalents would have been much more naturalistic.
But this is essentially a good hearted and emotionally involving journey.