Grow

GROW is exactly what it promises to be: a big, pumpkin-sized slice of family fun. This is a film that wears its heart on its sleeve, an exuberant, warmhearted tale about giant pumpkins, eccentric townsfolk, and the kind of unlikely family bond that blossoms when people open themselves up to love. It’s a family-friendly adventure that succeeds at delivering exactly the kind of cozy, laughter filled, story it sets out to tell.

Set in the self-proclaimed “Pumpkin Capital of the World,” the movie tells the story of Dinah Little, a tough, stoic farmer with a gruff exterior and little patience for nonsense. Her world is turned upside down when her estranged young niece Charlie comes to live with her. Charlie is not your typical kid. She has a natural, almost magical gift for connecting with plants. When she learns about the town’s annual pumpkin growing contest, Charlie sees her chance to become a gardening hero.

The movie leans hard into whimsy, with its world filled with giant gourds, eccentric competitors, sabotage schemes, and a pumpkin named Peter that grows as fast as Charlie’s self-confidence. From here, the film follows a familiar but joyful arc. Charlie and Dinah, with the help of eccentric neighbor Arlo, set out to grow a record breaking pumpkin. Along the way they encounter rival growers who will stop at nothing to win the coveted prize. The pumpkin-growing contest becomes both a source of slapstick chaos and a metaphor for Charlie’s personal growth. It’s heartfelt family humor with a positive message that’s universal.