intime

Part Robin Hood, part Bonnie and Clyde, with a little Logan’s Run tossed in for good measure.

We have all heard the phrase, “time is money”. Never has that been more relevant than the new sci-fi, crime thriller In Time. Andrew Niccol wrote and directed this slick, stylish ride and he creates a fascinating, thought provoking future. Part Robin Hood, part Bonnie and Clyde, with a little Logan’s Run tossed in for good measure. Not a perfect film but easily one of the best action movie experiences of the fall.

The story takes place in a future where people stop aging at 25. The problem is that they are also engineered to only live one more year after that. It’s a world where time is literally money. All trade, wages, buying, and selling is done in minutes, days and hours, instead of cash. Like most people in the “ghettos” Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) lives day to day trying to earn enough time to stay alive.  Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried) lives in a zone where only the wealthy dwell. She is one of the elite who have no worry of time since her family owns most of it. She can live forever if she wants and never have to watch the clock. When the truth comes out about how time is managed, Will and Sylvia join forces on a crime spree to get time back in the hands of the people.

This film simply looks cool. Timberlake is cool, the use of digital graphics is cool, the concept is cool. All of these elements come together to give it a sci-fi swagger. The casting choices also add to the overall experience. For the most part the cast all look to be in their mid to late twenties even though their character may be 50 or 60 years old. Olivia Wilde (Rachel Salas) plays Timberlakes mom when in reality Justin is actually older. That creep factor makes the world they live in more intriguing. Niccol also does a fantastic job of making sure every item in the scene adds to the swagger; whether the cool muscle cars the “time keepers” use or the creative sprinkling of time references. It all works together in a cohesive manner.

Keep in mind that this film is Sci-Fi. So yes there are a few plot holes and questions that can’t be answered. You can choose to focus on these minor points and miss out on the fun ride, or embrace the genre and enjoy the experience. I suggest doing the latter. In Time is rated PG-13 for violence, some sexuality and partial nudity, and strong language. The main issue would be the violence and crime aspect. This is a film that is made completely for the 17 and up movie goers. Younger kids will be lost in the story and there are elements that they should not be subjected to. The partial nudity is a brief skinny dipping scene in very dark murky water. Nothing to see here folks.  There is the one allowed F bomb and a few other strong expletives tossed around. But it isn’t common place or rampant. The sexuality is a make out scene between the two main characters, but it too is very brief. I give the film 4.5 out of 5 stopwatches. I was able to easily over looked the few holes and found it a chic, modern day Bonnie and Clyde flick that was entertaining and conversational. Timberlake brought sexy back to music and here brings swagger back to the cinema.

 Review copyright 2011 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.