There is an inspiring, heartwarming message with clever moments thrown about, but “About Time” tries so hard to please that it undercuts itself. And all the charm and time traveling cannott fix the mistakes.
TIME TRAVEL IN THE NAME OF LOVE
Tall, lanky and not very smooth with the ladies, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) learns from his father (Bill Nighy), that the men in their family — for some unexplained reason — can time travel once they turn 21, if only they shut themselves in a quiet, dark space. It sounds like a Charlie Kaufman premise, except this is Richard Curtis, director of “Love Actually.”
After a trial travel where Tim goes back to fix a botched New Years kiss, the young man declares that he is “always going to be about love” and he is going to get a girlfriend with his new power. His father scoffs and so did I.
But his plan works. In a risky but well-executed concept scene, he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) in a pitch black restaurant where they talk in total darkness. When he first sees her, the light shines behind her hair, and she daintily trips over the steps. Tim is instantly in love. But when he jumps back to fix his socially disgruntled roommate’s play, he loses Mary in the process. So he time hops and party crashes until he finds Mary again.
ROMCOM THAT IS ALMOST TOO CHARMING
Richard Curtis, writer of “Notting Hill” and “Bridget Jones’s Diary,” creates more romcom cine-flair with “About Time.” All the characters are charming — almost too charming. The father loves Dickens, and Tim’s uncle is a little slow but endearing. And Mary walks down the aisle to Jimmy Fontana crooning “Il Mondo” before going outside to the wind and rain plagued reception. There is so much romcom whimsy that its eagerness feels more like a child trying to impress their mom with their bike riding skills. It is cute but not remarkable, and is eventually annoying.
Time travel movies beg for comparison. But “About Time” would rather be compared to other romantic comedies. It is a romcom with a time travel twist. Or is it a gimmick? Little is explained and the traveling rules are minimal — think fantasy or superpowers more than any kind of science fiction — allowing the characters and story to take center stage. And the few logistical problems are glazed over. It is also worth noting that this makes Rachel McAdams’ third time travel film.
Ultimately the time travel is meant to set up the movie’s message. The point is a good one, get on with life and live every day intentionally because every detail of life is wonderful. Life is so good that Tim eventually stops time traveling.
But the moral’s legs are tripped up a bit. It takes Tim three attempts to woo Mary before they fall in love in the perfect world he’s constructed — a world where Mary’s greatest insecurity is her new haircut. And he’s still able to say goodbye to his dead dad in a contrived but effective scene of sentimental mush. Even the film’s dark moments with alcoholism and abusive boyfriends are fixed by knowledge gained from time traveling. Life is easy to enjoy when everything is pieced together ideally.
Most time travel movies have a grand problem to fix or have characters overcoming flaws through self-discovery. But there is none of that in “About Time.” Everything ends well because Tim made it well, without any consequences on his part. Despite cheery characters, clever storytelling and scenes of real emotion, it is empty. It tries to celebrate life, but it ever so slightly cheapens the unexpected grit and joy that come with imperfect living.
