It actually works better as a more profound study of grief - particularly in children who are trying to make sense of losing a parent. There's some enchantment, certainly, but the movie lacks a certain spark. But for a film all about imagination, it's hard not to wish it offered a little bit more. With children at the forefront, The Secret Garden encourages adult viewers to get back in touch with their childlike wonder. This is an accomplished turn by director Marc Munden, and it has an indelible charm despite delving into heavy themes like grief. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly

Overall, this adaptation has positive messages about the power of curiosity and imagination and could help inspire a love of nature. There's also a major house fire, and while nobody is injured, it's tense and nerve-wracking as the characters struggle to escape. A dog is in distress after being caught in an animal trap, resulting in a bleeding leg and a limp. Mary suffers from nightmares and hears gunfire in her sleep, suggesting she witnessed violence while growing up in colonial India. Her new optimism also inspires her widowed uncle, Lord Archibald Craven ( Colin Firth) - who, it's suggested, drinks to relieve the pain of losing his wife. She achieves this through a combination of friendship, curiosity, and imagination. It's very much a coming-of-age tale, as young orphan Mary Lennox ( Dixie Egerickx) must adapt to a new culture and learn vital life skills, including compassion, following the death of her parents. It has moments of mild peril but essentially deals with grief in a positive manner.

Parents need to know that The Secret Garden is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic children's novel.

The secret garden book