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Picture this: an independent teenage girl, an enchanted forest, and true love. If these seem to you like the ingredients for a merry Disney love-fest, then you read right. These make up the recipe for Disney’s film “Tuck Everlasting” (based on Natalie Babbitt’s children’s book), a schmaltzy family values shake covered in creamy goodness with a cherry on top. The only things missing are cute, furry animals and characters that burst into song.

Winnie Foster (Alexis Bledel of TV’s “Gilmore Girls”) is a restless 15-year old who yearns to see the world outside of her stuffy old Victorian home. Her domineering parents never let her leave the house and they plan to enroll her in an uptight school for girls. After Winnie becomes lost in the nearby woods, she meets the amiable and energetic Jesse Tuck (Jonathan Jackson of “The Deep End of the Ocean”), a boy whose family never ages or dies.

A magical spring has preserved them for over a century, and they hide in the wilderness to protect their way of life and avoid outsiders searching for the fountain of youth. Immortality hasn’t been kind to the Tucks: they live in continual isolation and know that life wasn’t meant to be an eternal prison sentence.

The cinematography is great, and beauty abounds as Winnie frolics in pastoral splendor and idyllic bliss with her new forest buddies. The movie is so lush and green, you half expect a leprechaun to jump out at any moment, but fear not; this is one Disney film without the cuddly little friends.

“Tuck Everlasting” advises the audience not to fear death as much as a life never lived, and the message is conveyed without getting overly sentimental. That’s what’s so good about the film; it manages to be emotional without beating the audience over the head with high-minded morality. Still, a family film like “Tuck Everlasting” may have some audiences OD’ing on the sappiness. Not everyone can digest so much sweetness.

The characters are designed to attract viewers of all ages. They’re simple enough for kids to understand, but complex enough for older viewers to appreciate. However, the complexity is far from Shakespearian, and only appeals to adults who don’t mind a lot of sugar with their spice. Ben Kingsley (“A.I.: Artificial Intelligence” and “Gandhi”) plays the Man in the Yellow Suit, a one-note villain with little character development. We know nothing about him, save for his desire to discover the same spring the Tuck’s drank for immortality. Winnie and the Tucks are fleshed out a bit more, but not too much.

“Tuck Everlasting” is a nice wholesome picture, but unless you have a diverse film palette or watch shows like 7th Heaven, beware. Otherwise, enjoy.