By Ruth Ferguson, NDG Editor
About Time is the movie we have been looking for this year. The most romantic movie I have seen so far. The plot is more believable than it has a right to be, primarily because the performances are so natural and the characters so likeable that you forgive the time travel plot.
Now how would you feel if your Dad sits you down and shares a family secret – the fact that the men in the family have the ability to go back in time. Simply pop in a closet, or a bathroom clinch your fists and think real hard about where you want to go and bam you are there. I know, I know insert eye rolling and at this point I was. But this is merely laying the groundwork for a charming story.
The rules in a nutshell are they can go back in time to any moment they experienced, they cannot go back and change history in general. As Dad explains, “I can’t go back and kill Hitler.”
After a rather disappointing New Year’s party for young Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) who knows he treating a young female admirer horribly, Time discovers he has another chance to make things right. Tim’s Dad played charmingly by Bill Nighy (when is he ever not wonderful!), shares the news about time travel and prods young Tim to try. Just seeing how much it might to Tim to make that young lady feel better, warms your heart toward him.
Time travel does not guarantee success with love, as Tim learns with the beautiful house guest for the summer. But then he meets a lovely American, Mary (Rachel Adams) and because of a quirk in the rules he has to “meet” her again. But once they truly connect the movie’s charm begins to wrap itself around your heart.
The movie is from the same writer as Four Weddings and A Funeral, a movie I never adored as others. But Richard Curtis is also the writer of one of my favorite movies, Love Actually and this movie is so in that model. You expect a nice little romance and then he weaves in a story we all connect with – the power of relationships and that fierce desire we have in our hearts to connect with others. Whether it is romance or family.
Every time you think, “OK I got this movie’s number,” Curtis and company throws a curve and it makes you love About Time even more. So, this weekend you should really make a date to see this movie. It has enough appeal for guys to keep them interested and most ladies will adore the film.
