I should start with a disclaimer. I automatically think that all things English are 20% more awesome. So obviously a movie from Richard Curtis, the writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary and Love Actually, has me predisposed to like it. The cast includes Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander and Margot Robbie. I should also confess now that I fully expected to be unable to not think of Bill Nighy as Billy Mack from Love Actually every time he was on screen. (Yes, I know he’s done lots of other things…I still always think of him as Billy Mack.) That totally didn’t happen, though. As soon as the movie started I forgot all about Love Actually…
In About Time, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers from his father that all of the men in their family have the ability to travel in time. I’m honestly not a fan of most time travel themes in movies because so much time is spent on the ensuing awkwardness from showing up in different times and places outside of the time traveler’s control. (It’s totally OK to tell me I think too much about things like this, but seriously…it totally bugged me in Somewhere in Time and The Time Traveler’s Wife.) In About Time it totally wasn’t an issue. The time travel was totally within their control and they could only visit times they actually experienced. So no, as Tim’s father put it, “going back to kill Hitler.” (I might have missed the exact quote a bit but you get the idea.) Tim knows right away that he’s going to use his new found skill for love. The movie then follows Tim as he moves to London, meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), gets married and starts a family. We learn that although time travel can sometimes save the day, it has its own risks, too.
About Time is a funny and sweet movie that’s totally worth seeing. And I would totally say that even if they hadn’t invited me to a screening and even if you took away the 20% of extra awesome being English makes it. About Time is in theaters now.