In Time

In Time (2011)

Written and directed by Andrew Niccol

Starring: Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde

It’s 2069, and people have been genetically engineered to stop aging at 25 years-old. At the age of 25, people begin to live out their last year, where every minute is counted on their arm. For Will Salas (Timberlake) this means doing what it takes to keep time coming in, because time is the new currency. When Will saves a man’s life, he finds out that time is not as scarce as people believe. The man gives will 116 years worth of time before timing out and dying. Unfortunately, Will is immediately tagged as a murder suspect in the man’s death. While hiding from police, Will meets Sylvia (Seyfried), the daughter of a wealthy and ruthless businessman. Now they’re on the run together while he begins to show her the corruption in the system. Together they’re soon seeking to right the injustice being done to the poor by the people with all the time in the world.

This is a very unique and interesting premise wrapped around a very old and common theme. Andrew Niccol (The Truman Show) put his own twist on the story of Robin Hood. Along the way he mixed in enough Bonnie and Clyde to make it his own. The film stars a number of young popular actors including Justin Timberlake (Inside Llewyn Davis), Amanda Seyfried (Les Miserables), Cillian Murphy (The Dark Knight Rises), and Olivia Wilde (The Change-Up).

The story for this movie has a nice pace and a great start. The twists and turns are unfortunately a bit more predictable than I had hoped for. The film also fails to cash in on the premise, leaving me wanting something deeper and more exciting. Thankfully, the characters are interesting enough to keep this one interesting. Overall, the dialogue is nicely written and the action has great moments throughout. Despite the weak follow-through, this is a decent story that will keep most people interested throughout. Unfortunately, I think it is also likely to leave most viewers feeling short-changed.

The acting in this movie is good, and in some instances even a little better than that. Unfortunately, the main characters are well-acted, but the supporting cast feels weak. Timberlake does a good job in the lead role, creating a character that is deeper than I expected. Olivia Wilde and Cillian Murphy also do a good job with their roles. The weak link in this one was probably Amanda Seyfried. Of the main characters, Seyfried’s work seemed to fall a bit short of where it needed to be. Her performance isn’t terrible, but it is the weakest of the stars. Overall, this one probably works better than it could have considering the strength of the story.

This is a nice movie from visual aspects as well. The world of the future isn’t much different from the way it’s been portrayed before, but it works in this one. The visual effects are good in this one also. I think the premise of the arm clock and the way time is displayed is unique and really works nicely in this movie.

Unfortunately, this movie can best be described as okay. Like some films, this has entertainment value in the action and the premise. As long as you’re okay with a bit of a missed opportunity with the story, this might be worth checking out. If you’re a fan of science-fiction you might enjoy this one. I would also suggest this to fans of the stars. I give this one 2.7 out of 5 stars.

Rating: PG-13

Running Time: 109 Minutes