“The Odd Life of Timothy Green” is a refreshingly old-fashioned flick.

Those might seem like odd words to put together. But so many family films these days rely on over-the-top special effects and saccharine musical numbers to provoke emotion that it comes as a surprise — a very pleasant surprise — to see something so simple. “Timothy Green” is very much like a fable or a fairy tale, the sort of story that’s been charming children for centuries. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, no. But in a summer of overblown entertainment, it stands out.