Soon after I watched About Time, I suddenly realize that it’s been quite long since I watched a romantic flick which is sweet but lite. Yes, a drama which is so lite that I don’t remember having watched Woody Allen’s. Well, let’s not try to compare it to WA’s, ’cause this one is precisely “accessible” and lovable in different way.
About Time is exactly telling about time–more precisely, how someone can love through time. Our man, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) amazingly finds a miraculous truth when he turns 21. His dad (Bill Nighy) reveals a secret that all men in his family can travel back in time–not necessarily to change the history, yet, only to change what happened and what has happened in their life. Ridiculously yet wisely, Tim uses his special ability to find love whom he finally finds when he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams). By devicing his ability, he will do everything to get this girl.
The man who directs this movie is Richard Curtis, a man known for his involvements in the bench of acclaimed sweet romcom, i.e., Love Actually, Notting Hill, and Four Weddings and A Funeral (also Bridget Jones’ Diary) as director or sreenwriter. Yet, I won’t tell that About Time precisely follows the formula of regular romantic comedies (practised in Curtis’ earlier works); the story of which is not simply about a boy loving a girl. It is not merely a story about Tim and Mary, it also entangles stories about Tim and his family–his dad, Kit Kat, his comical sister (Lydia Wilson), his mum (Lindsay Duncan), his Uncle Desmond (Richard Cordery), his occupation as a lawyer, people around him, and himself.
What makes it lighter yet lovable is the use of time-travel as an important plot device, but not as a dominant aspect. Tim uses that quite often in the story, but, the movie still goes as if it doesn’t need it in anyway. Well, don’t think that the ‘time-travel’ things will be quite complicated and scientifically logical, since it won’t. About Time asks us not to question how the time travel works to create time paradox or parallel timeline, but, it makes us perceive how it matters correctly. At last, all of which only make About Time a funny and warm romantic comedy that touch us in the end.
To be honest, what makes About Time easily enjoyable for me is simply the casts who mesmerizingly fascinate the audience. Twenty bucks say Domhnall Gleeson, in his first lead role, will be remembered for his role here. He portrays an awkward, common man whom anybody can tell from his clumsiness. His co-star, Rachel McAdams, shows good chemistry and makes the couple more likeable. Meanwhile, Curtis’ previous collaborator Bill Nighy surprisingly becomes a screen-stealer here with his portrayal of Tim’s dad–like it or not, he has already shows tremendous warmth along troughout the movie. Bill Nighy’s good chemistry with Gleeson and the whole story can be seen (and felt) in several moments happen before the story approaches the end–although, it might be too emotional and sentimental, I feel the warmth of it (Thanks to Nighy!).
“We’re all traveling through time together, every day of our lives. All we can do is do our best to relish this remarkable ride.” — TimFinally, I can tell that About Time is worth to watch during your leisure time. Let this movie tells us about how to appreciate our life and everyone we love. Yet, don’t take it too seriously, just smile while watching and listening to beautiful songs and melodies played during the movie.
TITLE: About Time
RATING:
GENRE: Drama, Comedy, Romance, Fantasy / DIRECTOR: Richard Curtis / WRITER: Richard Curtis / CINEMATOGRAPHER: John Guleserian / MUSIC: Nick Laird-Clowes / EDITOR: Mark Day / CASTS: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Tom Hollander
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