“The Greening of Whitney Brown” is an enjoyable little motion picture that is sure to delight not only preteens but also their parents.
Sure it is silly, but what do you want from a film whose target audience still thinks Justin Bieber is a legitimate musician and goes gaga for anything and everything pink. In other words, “The Greening of Whitney Brown” is everything a young girl could possibly want in a movie. However, it also has substance, tackling a topic that is not only timely but also rarely approached from this particular demographic's perspective.
Sammi Hanratty plays the title character, a popular middle school student who seemingly has it all –until the day her father (Aidan Quinn) loses his job and, with it, his family’s financial security. Forced to relocate to her grandparents’ abandoned farm far away from civilization, Whitney suddenly becomes the unluckiest girl on the planet.
Isolated and unhappy, Whitney is cut off from everyone and everything, unable to stay in contact with her former life and its trappings. Then, on the farm, she meets a horse named Odd Job Bob and her life – as well as his – would never be the same. “The Greening of Whitney Brown” also stars Brooke Shields and Kris Kristofferson.
Hanratty, who hails from Scottsdale, Ariz., gives an inspired performance that is refreshingly genuine as opposed to those of more well-known young actresses. The heart and soul of Hanratty's talent is her enthusiasm, and she approaches the character of Whitney Brown with plenty of precisely that, earning kudos for – if nothing else – her vivaciousness.
However, there is much more that is commendable about “The Greening of Whitney Brown,” which essentially takes a look at how the current economic woes impact the younger members of society – albeit in a somewhat materialistic manner. It is cute and fun while also teaching a relatively valuable lesson that is not exclusive to just preteens.
After all, we can all stand to learn a thing or two about humility and adaptability – regardless of our age. Having said that, screenwriter Gail Gilchriest's ending leaves a lot to be desires as it seems to go against the all of the movie's morals with respect to placing an importance on what others think about you as opposed to simply what you think of yourself.
However, for the most part, “The Greening of Whitney Brown's” heart is in the right place. And the truth is that there are really not too many movies that appeal to young girls while also serving up some valuable life lessons to them and offering enough entertainment for adults as well.
“The Greening of Whitney Brown” (PG – 87 minutes) is now playing exclusively at AMC Arizona Center 24. Visit FirstLook.com for specific showtimes.
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