The Time Traveler's Wife (B+ or 3.5/4 stars)
Professional critics. For those of us who read their reviews to see if a particular film is any good or not, I suggest you stay away from about 55% of them for 'The Time Traveler's Wife' ... because I think they are bogus. As critics tend to do - once they hear that a movie has had production problems or has been delayed in its release (as this one was), or that it's a sappy romantic drama - they decide that the movie MUST be bad. I, for one, am championing this film, directed by Robert Schwentke (Flightplan), & based on a best-selling novel. Yes, there is a sci-fi component to it. But that is not the core of the film. And the type of romantic drama which comes forth from that very sci-fi premise only makes the love story that much more potent.
28 yr. old Henry (Eric Bana), a loner, is working in a Chicago library when Clare (Rachel McAdams), a 20 yr. old woman he's never met, approaches him and says, 'I've loved you all my life'. It's an odd moment. That's because Clare, in her past (and his future), has been visited and won-over by an older Henry. She believes they are destined to be together, even though he doesn't recall having met her (yet). You see, Henry is afflicted with a rare chromosomal disorder (with symptoms like epilepsy) which causes him to frequently & involuntarily time travel - disappearing from one stage of his life and popping up in another ... naked. This creates obvious problems, as he must quickly find clothes; having to break into stores, or steal from pedestrians. Henry eventually learns to harness his ailment (a bit); whereas, he can travel back through time to the meadow where he first met Clare at age 6.
Once 20 yr. old Clare convinces 28 yr. old Henry that they have a 'history', a romance occurs, followed by marriage. The wedding scene is quite humorous, as Henry inconveniently time travels away from the setting, but re-appears a short while later as a slightly older Henry (circa age 40). Clare knows what's happened, but some of the guests wonder why Henry 'all of a sudden' has some gray hair, haha. In another scene, he uses his time travel for profit by seeing the winning lottery numbers (come on, you know we'd all do the same if we could).
But it's not all fun & games for this couple. What once felt like a wondrous fantasy for Clare slowly becomes a nightmare as she tries to weather his comings-&-goings. Any attempt to build a stable future together is complicated (including attempts at having a child). Sometimes a 35 yr. old Henry drops in on a teen Clare. Sometimes they hook up when they're both the same age. And sometimes (which we've seen in the likes of Back to the Future), an older Henry is able to witness himself at a younger age. Despite the fact that his travels force them apart, & without ever fully understanding him, Clare desperately tries to make their unique situation work by staying true to the power of their love; a love that will be tested by the sands of time; a love that may endure in life and in death.
After having seen the saccharine trailer for this movie, I am shocked by how smart & involving it actually is. It is both deep & life affirming. The basic premise sounds absurd; even hokey (time travel paradoxes & romance don't appear to go hand in hand). But it's all handled so gracefully. A strong effort is put in to give us an intelligent look at what could happen if time travel did exist. It's very easy to say "Oh, this is all bologna. That could never happen". But Robert Schwentke succinctly establishes both the world this story takes place in, & the emotions that would occur in that world. The story 'has' an explanation for his condition, but the why & how are not as important. The focus is on the characters, not the plot device.
'TTTW' is a film that delivers on its themes of love, loss, fate & the mystery of time. And yet, its main strength is the unwavering emotional commitment from the 2 leads. They are appealing actors playing appealing-but-troubled characters. We feel for them both individually (her torment, his undesirable condition), & as a couple (with domestic problems). As Henry, Eric Bana is solemn, mysterious, loving & utterly sympathetic. In the quietest of scenes, all we have to do is look into his dark eyes and see his true feelings. And as Clare, Rachel McAdams (who I've always had a major crush on) is wonderful. Only a sensitive, but strong woman could endure what she has to go through as Henry's soul mate. These characters genuinely care for each other in ways that grow even deeper than if their relationship had just evolved naturally. Both in spite of and because of the time travel component, this movie tells a quiet, but incredibly powerful love story.
28 yr. old Henry (Eric Bana), a loner, is working in a Chicago library when Clare (Rachel McAdams), a 20 yr. old woman he's never met, approaches him and says, 'I've loved you all my life'. It's an odd moment. That's because Clare, in her past (and his future), has been visited and won-over by an older Henry. She believes they are destined to be together, even though he doesn't recall having met her (yet). You see, Henry is afflicted with a rare chromosomal disorder (with symptoms like epilepsy) which causes him to frequently & involuntarily time travel - disappearing from one stage of his life and popping up in another ... naked. This creates obvious problems, as he must quickly find clothes; having to break into stores, or steal from pedestrians. Henry eventually learns to harness his ailment (a bit); whereas, he can travel back through time to the meadow where he first met Clare at age 6.
Once 20 yr. old Clare convinces 28 yr. old Henry that they have a 'history', a romance occurs, followed by marriage. The wedding scene is quite humorous, as Henry inconveniently time travels away from the setting, but re-appears a short while later as a slightly older Henry (circa age 40). Clare knows what's happened, but some of the guests wonder why Henry 'all of a sudden' has some gray hair, haha. In another scene, he uses his time travel for profit by seeing the winning lottery numbers (come on, you know we'd all do the same if we could).
But it's not all fun & games for this couple. What once felt like a wondrous fantasy for Clare slowly becomes a nightmare as she tries to weather his comings-&-goings. Any attempt to build a stable future together is complicated (including attempts at having a child). Sometimes a 35 yr. old Henry drops in on a teen Clare. Sometimes they hook up when they're both the same age. And sometimes (which we've seen in the likes of Back to the Future), an older Henry is able to witness himself at a younger age. Despite the fact that his travels force them apart, & without ever fully understanding him, Clare desperately tries to make their unique situation work by staying true to the power of their love; a love that will be tested by the sands of time; a love that may endure in life and in death.
After having seen the saccharine trailer for this movie, I am shocked by how smart & involving it actually is. It is both deep & life affirming. The basic premise sounds absurd; even hokey (time travel paradoxes & romance don't appear to go hand in hand). But it's all handled so gracefully. A strong effort is put in to give us an intelligent look at what could happen if time travel did exist. It's very easy to say "Oh, this is all bologna. That could never happen". But Robert Schwentke succinctly establishes both the world this story takes place in, & the emotions that would occur in that world. The story 'has' an explanation for his condition, but the why & how are not as important. The focus is on the characters, not the plot device.
'TTTW' is a film that delivers on its themes of love, loss, fate & the mystery of time. And yet, its main strength is the unwavering emotional commitment from the 2 leads. They are appealing actors playing appealing-but-troubled characters. We feel for them both individually (her torment, his undesirable condition), & as a couple (with domestic problems). As Henry, Eric Bana is solemn, mysterious, loving & utterly sympathetic. In the quietest of scenes, all we have to do is look into his dark eyes and see his true feelings. And as Clare, Rachel McAdams (who I've always had a major crush on) is wonderful. Only a sensitive, but strong woman could endure what she has to go through as Henry's soul mate. These characters genuinely care for each other in ways that grow even deeper than if their relationship had just evolved naturally. Both in spite of and because of the time travel component, this movie tells a quiet, but incredibly powerful love story.