Metacritic reviews

Celia Imrie and Emily Watson are a breath of fresh air and lead Raffey Cassidy fares better than most of the kids, but it’s not enough to save this dreary caper.

In the hands of director Christopher N Rowley and an assortment of screenwriters (including Byng), the result is a rebarbative mess – mirthless and shoddy like a disposable Christmas stocking novelty.

A chintzy children’s fantasy that summons the powers of suggestion, but falls well short of mesmeric.

It lacks the wit and charm necessary to interest any but the most undemanding preteen viewers.