About Time (2013)
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Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and unabashedly sincere, About Time finds director Richard Curtis at his most sentimental.
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and unabashedly sincere, About Time finds director Richard Curtis at his most sentimental.
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Movie Info
At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time... The night after another unsatisfactory New Year party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time. Tim can't change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life-so he decides to make his world a better place...by getting a girlfriend. Sadly, that turns out not to be as easy as you might think. Moving from the … More- Rating:
- R (for language and some sexual content)
- Genre:
- Drama , Science Fiction & Fantasy , Comedy
- Directed By:
- Richard Curtis
- In Theaters:
- Nov 1, 2013 Limited
- On DVD:
- Feb 4, 2014
- US Box Office:
- $15.3M
Cast
-
Tom Hughes
as Jimmy Kinkade -
Domhnall Gleeson
as Tim Lake -
Rachel McAdams
as Mary -
Margot Robbie
as Charlotte -
Lydia Wilson
as Kit Kat -
Bill Nighy
as Tim's Father
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Critic Reviews for About Time
All Critics (138) | Top Critics (36) | Fresh (95) | Rotten (43) | DVD (1)
Even in a work of science fiction like this, Gleeson seems beyond real. All those foam-faces being made in the dark? They're for him.
Some people will revel in this warm front of innocence; others will reach for their Voltaire.
There's a lot of comic and fantasy potential here, but much of it gets squandered.
To get to the parts that are un-terrible, you have to suffer through the most idiotic plot developments and ill-defined characters imaginable.
You may as well check your cynicism at the door, because Curtis & Co. are going to find a way to trample all over it - adorably.
With more attention to detail, this could have worked, but the time travel aspects are so badly executed that the movie as a whole falters and eventually rips apart at the seams.
"It's just so overflowing with ideas and characters that the main point it's trying to make nearly eludes it."
The film matures from a mere romcom into something older and wiser, as Tim and his dad have some heart-to-hearts that end up becoming lessons for all of us in how to live.
Richard Curtis' movies are classics but this one is not.
If it feels like the mangled adaptation of a much richer and more rewarding novel, almost everything that is frustrating about the film is also counterbalanced by moments of thoughtfulness and insightfulness.
It never once questions our protagonist's manipulation of time and people, and seems to think one can enjoy a life of true happiness...built upon some pretty serious lies. Creepy, actually.
There are those who, upon finding a plot hole in a film, allow it to ruin the movie. I'm not among them.'About Time' is flawed, with numerous plot holes. But it's beautifully told, wonderfully acted and touching enough to bring viewers to tears.
This complete charmer of a movie delighted me from start to finish. In fact, About Time may well be the two most purely pleasurable hours I've spent in the cinema all year.
In the end, it's a charmer. For those of you who have liked Curtis' previous rom-coms, come along for a lovely joyride...
Akin to a children's novel (the sort where the shadow of death fuzzily looms), About Time turns into a successfully sentimental family film in the literal sense of the term.
Typical Richard Curtis fare, with a time travel twist.
Brilliantly written and well directed by Curtis (this is his third film behind the camera), "About Time" is just another jewel in his crown as the reigning romantic comedy king.
It's about time so it's a bit convoluted. It's too long but not a bad rom-com.
No director/writer has shown a better understanding of the multi-faceted aspects of love than Richard Curtis.
"About Time" uses an ingenious and original comic device, built around the most irresistible commodity any movie can offer...
About Time is a solid tale about love, loss, and family with great performances - that leans on a compelling but sometimes problematic time-travel premise.
It's sweet and charming and utterly preposterous and, despite the trailers, it's not as much of a love story as you might think. Or at least, not that kind of love story.
Sci-fi freshens the formula, and the actors sail away on the new possibilities.
It's smart and sweet and unabashedly sentimental. But it's also the kind of movie that - in spite of its faults - strikes a bright, resonant wind-chime of a note.
Audience Reviews for About Time
The stain of formulism and growing sappiness can't make up for an initially interesting coming of age story. Nevertheless, I wish I'd seen more romantic comedies that had one bit of writer/director Richard Curtis' amusing, charming and mature view on life and relationships, rather than the usual parade of clichés, scatological humour and general shallowness. He aims high... and fails, but at least he tries, and the passion of everyone involved in the project can be easily spotted.
MoreSuper Reviewer
This is a film for the flawed romantic, who really does want to watch happily ever after happen without all the dramatic loss and heartbreak. "About Time" is not a film that delays pain, or revels in mind bending configurations dealing with time travel. For the subset that enjoyed "The Time Traveler's Wife" but wished it was a funny, woebegone tale of guy gets girl, guy makes girl happy for the rest of their lives, this is the film for you. It's honest, it's emotional, and it aims to show the pleasant irreverence of life in all aspects. It's especially tender when dealing with drug abuse, relationship problems, and death's presence. Still, it stays whimsical throughout, a feat that other fluffy romantic films can only dream about attaining.
MoreSuper Reviewer
I'm a big fan of Richard Curtis' films (especially Love Actually). They make me feel good and are usually very entertaining. They aren't exactly the highest quality films, but they don't need to be. About Time isn't on par with Love Actually, but it is another solid entry into his overly sentimental and wholly entertaining films category. The story is a little on the cheesy side, but told well enough that you get invested in the characters who are played with charm and wit (minus Rachel McAdams, who is just there to look pretty). Bill Nighy is often hilarious and Domhnall Gleeson holds his own admirably. The overall plot structure follows its own rules when it comes to the time traveling mechanics, which is refreshing, but at times annoying too because you keep expecting established rules to take effect (like the butterfly effect) and they don't. Either way, I enjoyed this movie for what it was and am kind of sad that this might be Curtis' last film.
MoreSuper Reviewer
Writing my review with 50 minutes still to go in this 2 hour mess that I was actually looking forward to watching.
First of all, I really like Rachel Mcadams. I have enjoyed her in a lot of movies. She's fine here too, but the guy (who makes so much of an impression I can't even remember his name, even though he's the lead character and the movie is currently playing as I write), has the charisma of a gingerbread biscuit. Blah. No personality, just a wet towel. I don't buy that Rachel Mcadams would look twice at him, and that lack of chemistry comes across in the movie.
The basic premise of the film, which is that the men in the family can time travel back in time doesn't work. Bill Nighy looks embarrassed even relating this family secret. Worse, nothing of substances is done with it. I know there is tragedy coming up, because I read the spoilers, but to me it's still nothing.
The movie hits cloying one hour in with the couple married and expecting a baby. Excuse me while I go off and hurl. I really hate this s$&t in a rom com - especially when it's just lumped in as this one is with no explanation, no background etc.
I then read it's the same person responsible for the other crappy movies I can't stand - Notting Hill, 4 weddings and a funeral, love actually and suddenly it all makes sense. I like a rom com as much as the next person, but I really find those ones not good, and their popularity staggers me.
So glad I did not buy this one. So glad!!!!
Super Reviewer
About Time Quotes
- Tim's Mother:
- Its very bad for a girl to be too pretty. It stops her developing a sense of humor, or even a personality.
- Uncle D.:
- My buttplug itches!
- Tim's Father:
- No, I never said we could fix things. I specifically never said that. Life's a mixed bag, no matter who you are. Look at Jesus: he was the son of a God, for God's sake and look how that turned out.
- Tim's Father:
- I'd only give one piece of advice to anyone marrying. We're all quite similar in the end. We all get old and tell the same tales too many times. But try and marry someone kind. And this is a kind man with a good heart.
- Tim Lake:
- We're all travelling through time together every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.
- Tim Lake:
- I just try to live every day as if I've deliberately come back to this one day to enjoy it as if it was the full final day of my extraordinary life.
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