The Secret Garden (2020), directed by Marc Munden

The end credits say ‘based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett’, but those familiar with the classic book will appreciate how loose this claim is. The main characters have the same names and the story follows the same trajectory, but there the similarities end. Updated to 1947 from the turn of the century for no discernible reason, there are further major departures from the original story that seem to have little point. The novel features nature as therapy, along with fresh air, healthy food and common sense. The film somehow turns this into magical realism, complete with dodgy CGI creatures. While love of the book may heighten criticism, the reality is it this just not a good film. The dialogue is often stilted and some of the acting is very ordinary. The talents of Julie Walters and Colin Firth are wasted. This is a classic case of an unnecessary remake. If you are going to change the original text so much, why bother? Just write your own story.