Weekly Review -- The meaning of choices
On his 21st birthday, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers that
men from his family can travel through time. After falling in love with Mary
(Rachel McAdams), Tim uses the ability to alter certain details of their lives,
but gets too caught up in the excitement...
The film takes the notions of life and romance and turns them upside down with Tim's very first trip down the rabbit hole. We might think that it would be too easy to be able to go back, fix a mistake and act like nothing had happened. Well... too easy is right. There are always reasons for our actions and the consequences of playing with the time and space continuum would certainly be dire, as Tim eventually finds out. Each trip brings about changes that he might not necessarily have wished for, but that are unavoidable when shifting the course of the familiar path. In other words, Tim's ability happens to be a predicament. It is a catalyst for a cautionary tale about living in the past, reminding us that going forward is the only way to go and the only direction that we can take.
The acting is one of the film's most appealing elements. As Tim, Gleeson finds the perfect balance between innocence and curiosity. He was also incredible in "Be Right Back", an episode of the British techno-prescient series "Black Mirror", for those of you who would like to seek him out further. McAdams has found a sort of niche in romantic dramas, and here her Mary's zest for life and love provides a great counterpoint to Tim's secret. The always fantastic Bill Nighy gives an endearing performance as Tim's father, who teaches his son the most important lesson that he can ever hope to learn.
The film takes the notions of life and romance and turns them upside down with Tim's very first trip down the rabbit hole. We might think that it would be too easy to be able to go back, fix a mistake and act like nothing had happened. Well... too easy is right. There are always reasons for our actions and the consequences of playing with the time and space continuum would certainly be dire, as Tim eventually finds out. Each trip brings about changes that he might not necessarily have wished for, but that are unavoidable when shifting the course of the familiar path. In other words, Tim's ability happens to be a predicament. It is a catalyst for a cautionary tale about living in the past, reminding us that going forward is the only way to go and the only direction that we can take.
The acting is one of the film's most appealing elements. As Tim, Gleeson finds the perfect balance between innocence and curiosity. He was also incredible in "Be Right Back", an episode of the British techno-prescient series "Black Mirror", for those of you who would like to seek him out further. McAdams has found a sort of niche in romantic dramas, and here her Mary's zest for life and love provides a great counterpoint to Tim's secret. The always fantastic Bill Nighy gives an endearing performance as Tim's father, who teaches his son the most important lesson that he can ever hope to learn.
Some might dismiss About Time as yet another sugary romcom. However, the film is anything but a standard boy-meets-girl sapfest. The story is about each one of our choices being pivotal to moving forward. If you could change the past, would you inevitably alter the good as well as the bad? Do you choose to live in the past or boldly go toward the future? Choose wisely because, in the end, time waits for no one.
10/10
posted by raindropped @ 10:25 PM
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