User reviews

For a film that is so simple a story line, it was just beautiful. I loved every minute of it.

Jessica Findley is a fresh face that I'm starting to see more and more, the film industry is better for it. She's truly gifted and can carry her character to the fullest. I first noticed her in the TV series Harlots, she carries that show as well. All eyes are drawn to her.

Well written, cast, filmed, staged and executed. Been a very long time since a simple PG rated movie was done this well. A breath of fresh air, someone else wrote. Well stated.

Highly recommend this beautifully fantastic film.

I spent a very pleasant 100 minutes watching this movie. It was a good STORY. It was not filled with special effects, violence, or nudity. I can/have/will continue to enjoy all those things in movies, but it was refreshing to relax and enjoy a good story.

The movie was slightly predictable, but in a good way. As I got caught up in the story I wanted those things to happen. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

The magic in this movie is the message. The characters are wonderful examples of normal and good people. This is a movie about understanding people, the unexpected ways of nature and life, storytelling and books. It is also a family movie so you can watch with kids and they will enjoy it. A simple movie but with a marvelous script.

Go have a really nice time with this movie and collect the message it has to give you.

What a lovely, lovely movie!

It's a grownup fairy tale with hints of magic: hearts opening, friendships blossoming and creativity abounding. The story is centered around a garden...after all, in real life the work of a gardener is a form of magic. The characters are endearing and the cast is perfection: from the cantankerous cynical neighbor to the witchy librarian to the magical inventor to the girl who makes art because she must.

As I exited the movie I told my husband it will be one we must share with our adult daughter, my aged mother and our millennial son. Something there for all of us.

Pleasant is the word that comes to mind. It isn't magic realism even though it seems to start that way.

Jessica Findlay is a little too pretty to be what she is but she is a pleasure to watch even with the frumpy clothes and hair. Jeremy Irvine plays the nerd quite well.

The little romantic drama at the end is contrived but neat.

The neighborly relationships and eccentric characters bring to mind the Jack Nicholson movie "As Good as it Gets".

The ending is feel good wish fulfillment and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

This movie isn't laugh out loud funny - it could have been funnier but that's part of it's understated charm.

It's been some time since I've been so captivated by a film, initially I found myself wondering what I was watching, and even what genre it fitted into, the dreaded family film.

The arrival of Andrew Scott convinced me that it was going to be good, I hadn't realised just how good. The characters are virtually perfect, each of them with a part to play, each of them truly captivating, and beautifully portrayed.

Every single cast member is fantastic, Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Brown Findlay, and of course the incredible Andre Scott. I loved Anna Chancellor's prickly librarian.

It was a feel good film, on that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

It's a quirky story, one that could be overlooked, but don't make the same mistake I did, quite simply, it's an enchanting film. 10/10

Four of us went to see this charming film at the Palm Springs Film Festival. We loved it. Even more, the entire audience loved it -- some gave it a standing ovation, which is a rarity in movie theaters. Further still, it was awarded a Best of the Best award at the film festival The movie an absolutely enchanting, sweet-hearted, inspiring film. It's not Citizen Kane, but it stands at about the same height as Amelie and Princess Bride. Sure, some of it is predictable, but that didn't ruin our enjoyment at all. We love deep and thought provoking films, but after all of that "meat", it's great to have "dessert". And This Beautiful Fantastic is a kick-ass, yummy Baked Alaska, but with no calories.

I do not know why this film didn't receive a higher score as it is one of the most delightful films I have seen in this genre in a long time! Clever script, great set and costumes and wonderful acting, especially Tom Wilkensen. If you enjoy Downton Abbey, Marchant Ivory films, British based dramas with a bit of whimsy...you will love it. If you don't... then not so much....although one must have a cold heart not to like this film..

"This Beautiful Fantastic" is a Drama - Romance movie in which we watch how the lives of a young woman dreaming of becoming a book author and an old rich widower will be tangled and this will create a new and bizarre friendship.

I liked this movie because of it's plot that it was simple but very interesting, if I would have only one word to describe it, I would say beautiful. The interpretation of Jessica Brown Findlay who played as Bella Brown, it was simply beautiful and I believe that she made the difference on this movie. Some other interpretations that worth mentioning were Tom Wilkinson's who played as Alfie Stephenson and Andrew Scott's who played as Vernon, and they were equally good. All in all, I have to say that "This Beautiful Fantastic" is indeed a beautiful movie that I am sure it will make your day, I strongly recommend everyone to watch it.

A thoroughly enjoyable feel good movie to uplift one's spirits. Unusual, quirky and full of interesting characters. Tom Wilkinson in particular stood out but the acting from all concerned was on point. Sure some may find it a little 'twee' for their taste but I couldn't fault it. So different from most of the stuff being churned out I very much hope to see more like this.

This film is by no means complex, and sometimes you don't want that. It's gentle on the heart and mind and doesn't really demand anything from you, just like a pleasant late summer afternoon tea in the garden. It's a coming of age and a passing of the baton film with a fairy tale ending. Just what you need after a difficult week at work or a hard weekend of partying. A lovely alternative to all the violence on the screen right now.

This Beautiful Fantastic is an incredible cinematic experience that I'll never forget! It is a stunning movie that brings two lonely people together to enjoy the beauty of nature. I love seeing each character grow throughout the film.

This incredible film is about an aspiring author with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) named Bella (Jessica Brown Findlay). She befriends her next door neighbor, Alfred (Tom Wilkinson), when she is told she will be evicted from her house if she doesn't tend to her garden. With the help from Alfred and Vernon (Andrew Scott), Bella's personal chef, they try to find a way to tend to the garden and, in doing so, discover how a garden influences them.

This film has stunning visuals, character development and a spellbinding script that turns it into a cinematic masterpiece. The flowers in Alfred's garden add to the visual appeal of the film because of its juxtaposition to Bella's garden. The set design also creates visual appeal, with sets such as Bella's canopy bed and the setup of the garden. The garden is what inspired the film's title because Bella describes it as "beautiful, fantastic." The cinematography is gorgeous as well. An example of this is when the downpour starts and a rainbow reflects over Bella's face.

In this movie, the characters grow alongside each other. Alfred starts off as a grumpy and mean old man, but grows to be kind, gentle and treats Bella as though she is his daughter. Bella is introduced as timid and scared of nature, but she overcomes her fear when she befriends Alfred and learns to care for the garden. Throughout the movie, you also see Bella become less and less OCD. At the end, she leaves her door open versus, in the beginning she checks the door five times before leaving the house. There is also a change in Vernon. In the beginning, he is very nervous and acts as a "slave" towards Alfred. But by the end, he becomes less scared and more independent.

The music adds an ethereal effect to the movie, such as when Alfred watches Bella tend to the garden. Also, when Billy (Jeremy Irvine) shows Bella the mechanical bird, Luna, he is making. The music in this scene adds a very magical tone.

I love how eloquent the script is. An example of this is when Billy talks to Bella about a statue he is studying called The Ecstasy of Theresa. He describes it as "destroying logic with emotion." His detail in explaining the statue shows how impactful art can be to a person.

This film demonstrates how much another person can help you thrive and adore the importance of nature. I rate it 5 out of 5 stars and recommend it for people ages 10 to 18 and adults will enjoy it as well. This movie comes out March 10, 2017 in theaters nation wide, so check it out.

Reviewed by Ella L., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, visit kidsfirst dot org.

This is a very charming title if you are a fantasy film fan. Good looking film posters too from different languages for different regions. In a way, that was my reason to watch this, but anyway I would have seen it sooner or later being a cinephile. It was not a popular production, though the cast and storyline interested me more. They have categorised it as a modern day fairy-tale. But it was missing something. Something cinematically convince to its viewers. My best guess is 'stylish presentation'. Yep, it was a similar kind to 'Amélie', ' Citizen Dog' et cetera. It was not based on any book, but would have been a better format for such tale.

It was like those titles I mentioned in the previous paragraph which meets 'The Secret Garden'. Sadly, not well explored in its topics. For instance, the romance part was half-boiled. Funnily, I never knew the film trying to achieve that part. Of course it had a boy and a girl. In fact, three boys against one girl. But which path the narration is taking was well preserved till certain length of the film. Surely somewhat it was a fairy-tale, but most probably not like the one you would be anticipating. Especially in the initial stage, it bettered. Only later on it had started to fall back as a casual film.

The tale of a children's novelist. She is an orphan. Now being an adult, living independently in London, while working in a library. The story of her prior to land in the orphanage was a mystery. So basically she aspires to be a children's writer. Yet to write her first book. It was her normal lonely mechanical life, but one stormy day a trouble comes her way. The next door grumpy old man picking her for a verbal fight for several reasons and one of it were the neglected backyard. Now she has got a countdown to fix the issue. So the remaining the narrative focused on her undertaking, while the other side of her life, she's trying to get a close to an inventor.

❝Life and nature, it's just waiting to burst out anywhere it can, seeking light, getting on with it.❞

Definitely it should have been better. Not for just the cinephiles, but even normal people would feel that way. I don't know this filmmaker, but his direction was good, definitely not the writing skill. I think that's where it had failed mostly. It is still an above average, though if the screenplay, including dialogues was done better, then it would have been another level. Particularly, I did not like the transition between the scenes, events and the characters. One of the lines said at the final stage, after the story had taken a twist was poorly penned. That was the godfather of all the clichés, should have avoided at any cost.

By the way the actors were good. From Jessica Brown to Tom Wilkinson and other two did their respective roles finely. The synopsis says it is about an author, but the film explored different way. The entire film given preference to gardening. It took phases and were decent too. But at final stage it takes a twist by giving a convincing reason. But if that's what the whole story was relied on to surprise its viewer, then that's did not do its job as expected. Overall, the writing should have been improved to give the film a better chance to do well with the film goers.

Nonetheless, it is a watchable film. Especially I think women, family audience could enjoy it better. I would say the character Bella carried it all the way, despite Alfie jumped into the main storyline strongly in a mid way. The basic story was good enough. Bella is being a loner all her life, how suddenly everything has changed around her was the purpose of the film. Jessica Brown was a perfect choice for the role. She looked more beautiful than ever. Watch it for her, for the cast. Only a few people would feel they had seen a great film. It's just a good British film.

6.5/10

To make myself feel balanced and fair, I deducted one star for predictability -- but just one. Knowing where characters are going is not a huge crime.

I love this cast. Tom Wilkinson and Andrew Scott are renowned for creating and inhabiting completely formed characters. Jessica Brown Findlay is hot on their heels. She first came to my attention as Lady Sybil in DOWNTON ABBEY. Now she's scorching the small screen in HARLOTS with an incredibly complex character. In this film she is nerdy and quirky, but wears it well. With lesser actors, similar roles feel labored and annoying.

The impossibly handsome Jeremy Irvine is well matched with Findlay, their luminous nerds are such a guilty pleasure and I was happy to see their story-line progress.

If this were a Hollywood effort, the band of misfits would probably be one-dimensional and unpalatable. What we have here are misfits who are relatable: co-workers, strangers at the market, family, friends, and possibly ourselves.

This is a film full of heart that some modern directors are too scared to make: it's adorable and full of heart. Written and directed by Simon Aboud (COMES A BRIGHT DAY), it's sweetness is delightful and delicate without being overpowering.

The human condition truly looks with a garden ... for some it is green, dense and majestic ... for others poor and dying, or abandoned and messy ; for some completely nonexistent ... Yet all the features from the early days did not change, not cancelled ... they're just waiting for you ... the allegory that takes care of the mental determinants of life is ahead of you, every day, every moment ... you don't have to be an expert, you learn ... There is no need to have born connoisseur, you train yourself ... you are not required to be gifted, you blossom ... all talents you had but could not sense them ... all the colors, smells, shapes ... you need the light of the meeting with yourself, the other, the Whole ... After all, if you don't recognize the beauty in your own inner bio-cosmos, with what right you blame the ugliness of others?

They say for good story you need to put ordinary people in unusual conditions. In this movie all is done exactly opposite — extraordinary people trying to live a normal life. Very gentle and sensitive, sometimes melodramatic, sometimes a little fantasy story about friendship. A lot in the characters and their stories is left out of the scenes and storyline, that adds its charm, but sometimes it confuses too, because at the end of the story plot is sometimes torn and increasingly appear worn cliché. But the subtle British humor, solid cast alloy and sincere dedication of the characters to each other and the common cause keep you in good shape up to the final.

This is the second serious work of the director and screenwriter Simon Aboud (after the movie "Comes a Bright Day" 2012), and it may well be his lift up. The film is shot in a beautiful style, has a well defined set design and fascinating close-ups. A variety of pastel colors contrast beautifully with the dark attires of the protagonist, who boldly challenges Amélie.

Among the actors, despite the presence of the BAFTA winner and a sweet dream of all women in the world, Andrew Scott (prof. Moriarty, who have not understood;) ), Tom Wilkinson should be noted. His image only is not cause any issues. Old horse, as you known, doesn't spoil the furrow. And here he is, in fact, determines the nature of the entire film. Another picture in a long creative biography of the actor, for which he is most likely again will be nominated for something as a supporting actor. You can't escape from your fate ;)

The overall impression is slightly spoiled by the trolling of the Russian speaking distributors who translated "This Beautiful Fantastic" as "Fantastic love and where to find it". Trying to play on a borrowed brand stinks, especially that the original title itself is intriguing. In Ukrainian version it is "Magic Magnificents" and it is magic and magnificent, and correct!

Overall, the film is definitely worth repeated viewing and can be seen as a family, children, "not for everyone", romance and more. It is all of those at once and any of these limits does not fit it unambiguously.

From me movie has solid 8/10 (8 of 10) and the tab for the home video library.

Everyone is a bit offbeat. British man and woman meet in a library. When they hit it off, the man quits his job working for the old grouchy guy. Which ticks off the man's employer. But he's used to getting his own way. Can everyone just get along? They might all have something valuable to share with the others. Fun, when it all comes together. Just a plain, simple story if you go along. Don't need to look for more than we see. Cute little tale. Running gag of the librarian, determined to enforce the rules. Written and directed by simon aboud. Has both written and directed several projects.