When I first heard about the upcoming family film The Magic Faraway Tree, I was instantly confused. It appeared to be an adaptation of a children’s book, but I hadn’t heard of it. It starred big-name actors like Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy, who appeared to be playing second-fiddle to the child stars. It seemed like the kind of fake movie parodied on 30 Rock, or at the very least one of those films that would only appeal to British audiences, the demographic that read Enid Blyton novels as children and understood all the minute references. Boy, was I wrong. Written by Paddington and Paddington 2’s Simon Farnaby (who almost wrote a Star Wars movie), The Magic Faraway Tree may be missing some cultural context, but even in an American vacuum it is an absolute delight.“You don't need to have heard of the source material at all,” director Ben Gregor tells Inverse. “This is a universal family movie. It's spectacular. At one point you hadn't heard of Paddington. That’s just some bear. It doesn’t matter.” And just as Paddington went from a strange immigrant bear to star of a Broadway musical, The Magic Faraway Tree may just become your new favorite cozy classic. The Magic Faraway Tree stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy as Tim and Polly Thompson, parents who get exhausted by corporate city life and decide to move with their three kids into the countryside to achieve Tom’s dream of making tomato sauce. Their three kids, Beth (Delilah Bennett-Cardy), Joe (Phoenix Laroche) and Fran (Billie Gadsdon) stumble upon a magical tree that takes them to a new land every day, but some lands are better than others — and could even put their dad’s dream in jeopardy. To director Ben Gregor, this kind of story is one of the U.K.’s most valuable cultural exports. “Do you like Hook? Do you like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Do you like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Do you like Lord of the Rings?” he asks. “These stories combine domesticity, like the cozy Shire or Arthur Dent’s life before, and then crazy adventure and wild stuff happening. It's just the grounded British way of telling a story. It's just what we do.”That’s the attitude this film takes at every point: making a wholesome movie for its own sake, and not apologizing for being earnest. The Magic Faraway Tree is a feel-good romp full of family moments and fantasy creatures. | VerticalIn speaking with Garfield and Foy, it’s clear that the effortless chemistry they have with the actors who play their children is authentic. “Delilah's our oldest child and she is a brilliant actress and very much reminded me of my sister when she was a teenager,” Garfield tells Inverse. “She just nails it every time, this acerbic, straight to the heart wounding kind of attitude. But they were all so unique and so brilliant and just gave us so much energy.”“Billie is so sweet and tender and so thoughtful and considerate of everyone around her,” Foy adds. “She's so sensitive and just delightful and wants everyone to have a nice time. And Phoenix is pure trouble in the most fun, rough-and-tumble ways. You just kind of want him to be your best friend because he just makes everything silly and a little bit naughty and playful.” They beam like proud parents while discussing their castmates. The Thompson family’s adventures are great for a family movie night — or just a cozy night in. | VerticalFamily is a huge theme for this film. Even when they’re being tortured by the devious Dame Snap (Rebecca Ferguson), family ties are what keep them together. There’s even a family song that will get stuck in your head for days after. That’s why director Ben Gregor suggests you watch it with your loved ones — or when you just feel like you need some loving care. “I wanted to make a film that you watch when you have the flu or were fired or dumped. It makes you cry, but it makes you feel happy, and it just cuddles you. A big warm cuddle,” he says. “But it's great if you have kids; you have a family outing. We've had grandparents, parents, but you don't need kids to enjoy this film. You just need to want to go on adventures.” Garfield agrees. “It’s a movie where the family and the kids, they want to sit in the living room all together and watch it on a cozy night. It feels like it has that potential for young people and families just to kind of gather and feel happy and feel silly and connect.” That connection is becoming rarer and rarer in this age, and this movie feels like the most wholesome — and still entertaining — way to bring it back. The Magic Faraway Tree is now playing in theaters.