I thoroughly enjoyed Ant Timpson’s last feature Come To Daddy (2019), which also starred Elijah Wood and was a story from the point of view of a young man (Wood) who he thinks is meeting his estranged father for the first time since he was five years old, only it’s not. While I’ve enjoyed most of Wood’s character work as of late, I felt like Daddy dug a bit deeper adding in some thematic elements on family, along with a more layered performance by Wood to really give the film more nuance that some of his other roles.
When I heard Ant’s next film was also going to be tackling similar themes and also again starring Wood, I was front and center for what was easily the most hilariously wholesome film I’ve ever seen at Fantasia.
Bookworm is a bit of a fish out of water adventure story that has a once famous illusionist Strawn Wise (Wood) venturing through the gorgeous landscapes of New Zealand on a camping trip with his biological daughter (Nell Fisher) who he is meeting for the first time. The young girl ended up in his charge when her mother landed in a coma after an unfortunate accident. The precocious self proclaimed bookworm and grizzled realist is on a mission to get footage of the Canterbury Panther, which basically is the NZ version of bigfoot, to get $50,000 to get her mom out of debt.
What ensues is old school family adventure film in the purest sense, as the two try to make their way across the stunning, yet perilous New Zealand countryside looking for the beast.
That said, Bookworm is pure cinematic dopamine. Elija Wood perfectly crafts his failed magician, who charms the hell out of not only the audience, but even eventually his daughter. His opponent here, the precocious Nell Fisher is nothing short of a force to be reckoned with as she manages to steal the show from Wood on a nearly scene by scene basis. It’s a true battle of the wills both narratively and literally as she spends the majority of the film running her poor old dad through wringer, but for very good reasons. There’s also the fact that Wood is returning to the stunning landscapes that stood in for Middle Earth, but the in joke is that NZ is simply where the shot the Narnia movies, omitting LOTR.
I just simply loved Bookworm and wished there were more films like it in theaters or just in general. It doesn’t try to talk down to the parents or the kids watching, and I think those films that don’t underestimate their audience are better for their efforts and simply appeal to more audiences. I think that’s why it’s so effective. Honestly, it’s because it’s not looking to take a side in this situation, but instead bridge the gap from both points of view. Reminiscent of the Disney live-action of old, Bookworm is a family film that is as smart as it is, fun for all ages.
