Most beautiful…

…About Time. Oh sigh…such a lovely, delightful movie…not to be taken lightly.

I was talked into watching this one by a friend and wow, I can’t believe that I hadn’t been that keen on it because it is absolutely worth seeing. Just look at the poster above…doesn’t it look simply wonderful? So heartfelt? Uplifting? Genuine?

The men in Tim‘s family have the amazing capability to travel in time. The “catch” is that they can only go to a place and time that the traveler in question has been to/experienced before. So, no going forwards, no going sideways (to a place not been) and definitely no going to someplace “unvisited”. Oh, and can only be done from a dark place, ideally a cupboard or such while clenching your hands and thinking yourself to the selected place. Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is informed of this on his 21st birthday by Dad (Bill Nighy) who, being the good father he is, advises his son to use this special ability to enrich his life in a positive way and avoid the glamorous temptations.

After initial disbelief, Tim tries it out and…voila…it works! One of the first things he does is use it to his advantage with girls. Having a romantic advance on a girl he likes not work out the way he wants  it to, and taking the knowledge/feedback from that incident, he travels back to repeat the attempt. This time, however, something else doesn’t quite go to his liking so…repeat. So, it all starts.

However, as the movie moves along, Tim matures and has more meaningful experiences (like meeting Mary..) that he repeats for supposedly optimal results. The truth, however, is that each time he goes back and makes a change, something else changes (naturally) and the outcome isn’t always as expected or hoped for. But…it all works (if you can get your mind around the time travel concept) quite well and becomes a wonderful, meaningful movie. Initially all light and funny, the seriousness of it all becomes evident. Never heavy, heavy, (double heavy intended) there is a lesson to be learnt but on a whole you’ll be smiling yet keeping in mind that second chances may not always be second chances…

The performances are excellent all round…I mean, how can you go wrong with Domhnall Gleeson, Bill Nighy, Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Duncan, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie (oh wow, was that her?) and many more? And, furthermore…how can a story written by the same man (Richard Curtis) who wrote Pirate Radio, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love, Actually, Notting Hill et al. not be great? He also directs this one (as he did Love, Actually and Pirate Radio). You know what? If you haven’t seen this one…go on…give it a go. I’m sure you’ll love it.

This is the second Time Travel movie I’m covering for the Time Travel Blogathon (The Lake House entry can be found through this portal here and other awesome entries can be found by transporting yourselves here and here).