In Time (2011)

Having very much enjoyed director Andrew Niccols intelligent sci-fi drama Gattaca (1997), I was curious when this one hit the scene. Having now checked it out…I can honestly say that In TIme wasn’t a waste of Time (*wink*). Justin Timberlake continues to show decent (but not perfect) acting talent here as Will, a depressed factory worker in an alternate reality Los Angeles; a reality where time/life genetically becomes currency after people reach 25 years of age. Through a series of strange circumstances, he ends up taking the daughter of a major ‘time broker’ hostage, before going ‘on the lam’ with her in tow. From there, the flick takes on an undeniable ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ motif as Timberlake and the hotly manga-looking Amanda Seyfried (the daughter) turn the tables back on society (after giving in to their mutual attraction) by shifting the power balance through a series of brash time robberies and large-scale public donations. All the while, a determined time cop, played by the ever-reliable Cillian Murphy, nips at their heels while also discovering the true nature of The System that he himself is a mechanism of. Many other familiar (and capable) faces help round out this inventive fugitive stories handsome cast. The film has a slick ‘sheen’ to its presentation and a slew of clever details regarding the world the story inhabits (love the electric police muscle cars). However, I do have to admit that there were some elements that could’ve used some embellishment. Almost all the characters seem to be JUST short of ‘complete’. SOMETHING felt slightly lacking in the ‘depth’ department, all around. There were also a couple of moments that just happened without any prior lead-up (magic ankle holster?) that either suggested over-editing or lazy writing. It simply wasn’t as deep or as engaging as I would’ve hoped for…which is not to suggest that I didn’t like In Time. I did enjoy this movie…just on a more superficial level than I was expecting from the director of the surprisingly moving Gattaca. If you’re looking for an interesting movie populated by beautiful young people, driven by a novel science fiction concept through a slick-looking presentation…In Time will not waste YOUR time.