About Time is the story of a boy who becomes a man by discovering he has the power to go back in time. However, as is the case with every time travel movie ever brought to life, with every decision comes consequence. This one in particular strays from the lot though, as a love story that only uses the time travel trope as dressing.
Domhnall Gleeson (Harry Potter’s Bill Weasley) plays Tim, a young man looking for what everyone wants: love. Tim soon learns from his father, played by the talented and handsome Bill Nighy, of the ability that’s been passed down to every male in the family, ie, the ability to travel back in time. The caveat: Tim is only able to go back to a time and place where he’s been before.
When Tim decides to move away from home and search for love, he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams, who it should be noted has already made one foray into the time travel genre, 2009’s lackluster Time Traveler’s Wife). Mary must withstand the repeated wooing of geeky and unsophisticated Tim over and over again, as he goes back to the time and place when he knows she’s available and ready to commit to him. Reminiscent of Groundhog Day? You bet. The story then takes off from there to more seriously involve Tim’s father and sister.
Ultimately, Tim learns of the importance of the day-to-day aspect of life, and wants only to live in the present. While very well written and performed, About Time really isn’t about time at all. The time travel film doesn’t really play an important role, other than to lighten the mood—and we would expect no less from the writer of Notting Hill and director of Love Actually. Rachel McAdams, for her part, can do no wrong—anytime she’s on screen it’s like watching a different person, but always just as charming. And even though Domhnall doesn’t have the looks, he grounds himself and becomes the character, winning her over time and again.
About Time is the story of a boy who becomes a man by discovering he has the power to go back in time. However, as is the case with every time travel movie ever brought to life, with every decision comes consequence. This one in particular strays from the lot though, as a love story that only uses the time travel trope as dressing.
Ultimately, Tim learns of the importance of the day-to-day aspect of life, and wants only to live in the present. While very well written and performed, About Time really isn’t about time at all. The time travel film doesn’t really play an important role, other than to lighten the mood—and we would expect no less from the writer of Notting Hill and director of Love Actually. Rachel McAdams, for her part, can do no wrong—anytime she’s on screen it’s like watching a different person, but always just as charming. And even though Domhnall doesn’t have the looks, he grounds himself and becomes the character, winning her over time and again.