About Time

Cast of Characters:

Tim Lake - Domhnall Gleeson

Mary - Rachel McAdams

Tim's Father - Bill Nighy

Harry - Tom Hollander

Charlotte - Margot Robbie

Director - Richard Curtis

Screenplay - Richard Curtis

Rated R for language and some sexual content

      Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy star in the romantic time travel comedy About Time. Uh-oh, laughing playfully in the rain. That's not a good sign. This film opens November 8th. I was given a free advance screening, so this is an early review.

      At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhall Gleeson) discovers a family secret from his father (Bill Nighy): the men in the family can travel back in time. There are, of course, certain "rules" to this gift. One, they can't travel into the future (if they owned a DeLorean, they could), and they can only travel back to places they've experienced in the past. As his dad mentions, "It's not like I could go back and kill Hitler or shag Helen of Troy." 

      Now knowing of this gift of his, Tim could use it for many advantages, but decides he's gonna use it to help him get a girlfriend, which he has had very little if any success at. After moving to London to pursue a career in law, Tim and his friend visit a blind-dating establishment where Time meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) and from there, sparks fly. Cue the fireworks and the doves flying around them.

      When I first saw the trailer for this, despite the fact that the always entertaining Bill Nighy was in it, I figured this was gonna be another Nicholas Sparks piece of crap. I mean, Rachel McAdams is in this and her track record of romantic films, either comical or dramatic is rather horrid. I don't consider Wedding Crashers a rom-com, The Notebook was just okay and both The Time Traveler's Wife and The Vow (neither of which were written by Sparks... but they might as well have been) made me wanna give up on not just love but life in general. I'll say it again, though, every movie gets a fair shot and I've been surprised before. This is one of those surprises. Granted, there are certain plot holes that are plain as day here. You first have to wonder if they can go back in time, but not into the future, then how can they go back into the present since going back in time would then make the present the future at that moment. Secondly, there's a conversation Tim and his father have, after Tim incidentally alters the sex of his child, where his father mentions once the child is born you can't go back past that moment of conception 'cause it'll be changed. However, there are moments where that happens and nothing is changed. In spite of those issues with the plot, I still found myself thoroughly engaged with these characters and their relationships and if there's one thing writer Richard Curtis (who wrote other funny films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually) knows, it's writing witty dialogue and there were quite a few laugh out loud moments for me. Domhnall Gleeson (resembling a somewhat awkward version of Simon Pegg for me) is perfectly cast as the lead character, and his comic timing is dead-on. He not only has great chemistry with McAdams - who's wonderful here - he also has it with Nighy (who, as always, steals ever scene he is in). That's what distinguished this film, for me, from being just another stupid chick flick. Not only do you care about Gleeson and McAdams as the couple, but the relationship with Gleeson's family, particularly with Lydia Wilson as his free-spirited sister Kit-Kat, is just as important to the story as with his wife. Along with Nighy, there's also a great supporting performance from Tom Hollander (who has one line about his daughter that nearly steals the entire film) as a down on his luck playwright and two funny cameo appearances from Richard E. Grant and the late Richard Griffiths.

      It's not a perfect film. I did mention the plot flaws, but being that it is a comedy you can kinda forgive Curtis for it. The goal is for laughs here, not scientific plausibility. There are certain nods to probably the greatest time travel rom-com Groundhog's Day (one of my hesitancies in seeing this, but they have their differences). The writing is sharp and witty, the performances are great, and along with the laughs there's a heart element throughout the film that is genuinely moving. I've been proved wrong by films before, and this is one of those times. I'm glad I got see this wonderfully funny film. I give About Time a B+ (★★★½).