MOMO AND THE TIME THIEVES (2025)

4 stars

Signature Entertainment. Cinema. 14th August

Young, curly haired orphan Momo (Alexa Goodall) lives in an ancient amphitheater. She is friends with Bepo (Kim Bosnia), the groundskeeper. Also living in the city is Gino (Araloyin Osshunremi), a youngster who helps out his mum Liliana (Jennifer Amaka Pettersson) by delivering pizza’s from the family restaurant. He also earns extra money to support his mother and his two siblings, by taking tourists around the amphitheater.

There, one day, he notices Momo and finds her in her hideaway. He takes her home and introduces her to his family. She is a bit weird and claims she has always been around. Thing is, as she is a good listener, people gravitate towards her and soon a kind of community has sprung up around her.

Ever since his Dad died, Gino’s family has struggled financially. Out for her swim (the only real time she carves out for herself) Liliana is approached by an odd woman dressed all in grey (Laura Haddock). She ‘runs the numbers’ on the time that Liliana wastes and offers a solution. A bracelet that gives her the ability to save time – to use later.

Of course, all is not as it seems – as these “greys” are actually stealing time. They work for a large corporation (the film has something to say about modern life and how our time is sucked up by distractions).

Can Momo save the day – with the help of the children and Master Hora (Martin Freeman), master of time, who she is lead to by a cute tortoise which can show words on its shell. She finds herself up against the nefarious “greys” and their leader Richter (Claes Bang).

This is a nicely pitched, kid friendly, fantasy film based on the 1973 book by Michael Ende – probably best known for ‘The Neverending Story’. There have been previous adaptations – an Italian/German take in 1986, an Italian animation in 2001 and a German animated TV series in 2003.

Goodall is really good in the lead and this is gorgeously shot by Christian Rein. Writer/director Christian Ditter uses his beautiful location which is added to by the nicely realised production and set design which give the air of a fairytale at times. It even features a couple of Sam Ryder songs.

Steve Kirkham