FRAMED

There's something almost holy about a prestigious art museum - so much so that the idea of a leaky ceiling ruining its contents almost seems sacrilegious.  How could something as ordinary as water seep in and ruin a priceless work of art?!  The thought is almost too much to bear, but this is exactly what the Quentin Lester (Trevor Eve) faces as curator of The National Gallery in Framed. 

 

Fearing for his beloved collection, Quentin transports masterpieces from the leaky wing of the gallery to an abandoned mine in Wales.  This development is hugely exciting for the residents of this sleepy, depressed town, and they quickly clamor for a peek at the activity around the mine.  When word gets out that the contents of the National Gallery are inside, Quentin has no choice but to crack open the wooden boxes and allow the residents a look. 

 

As a man whose passion for art has long surpassed his affinity for humans, it is no small feat for Quentin to open his heart to the people of Manod.  A boy from a struggling family captures his attention with talk of Leonardo and Donatello, and Quentin believes he has found a young man whose interest in art rivals his own.  He doesn't realize that little Dylan's enthusiasm is actually for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but this simple misunderstanding paves the way for a transformative relationship.  Not only does Quentin's collection bring hope and magic to a depressed town, it brings love and friendship to Quentin himself. 

 

Based on the children's novel by Frank Cottrell Boyce, this sweet, funny movie harkens back to the Wonderworks adaptations I so loved on PBS as a child of the 80s.  So much family entertainment feels cheap and manufactured, but Framed comes across as delightfully authentic.  These well-drawn characters and sweet story will surely win you over, just as the people of Manod charmed Quentin.