Film Review: In Time

By Alejandra Ortega

Writer/director Andrew Niccol has offered us such classics in the past as, “The Truman Show.” Unfortunately, “In Time,” is not one of his best works.

The film centers on the idea of time as money. Clearly this is a critique on the cost of living, and the Occupy Wallstreet issues. This premise had so much potential if Niccol had taken the time to do it right. However, in the end it made me want to take away his screenwriting textbook, hand him a bottle of wine and tell him to try again later.

The beginning was promising. I was with the film during the set-up of the conflict. However, from minute 13 on I was done.

The rest of the film focuses on the kidnapping of Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried), and her eventual submission to Will’s (Justin Timberlake) ideals. It’s a classic Bonnie and Clyde set against a science fiction background.

The story is written textbook style. Minute 12 they introduced the conflict, they had the midpoint concerning Sylvia and the “all hope is lost” moment between Will and Sylvia – which failed due to the lack of believable chemistry between the two actors – and had a reconciled ending to fix everything. It was so textbook I almost fell asleep in my seat.

The theme of “every step gets you closer to death” is said point-blank to the audience every chance offered, and the sudden love between Will and Sylvia is one that makes the audience want to roll their eyes.

While the lines and visual aspects were terrible, the thing I was still most bummed about was the loss of such a great idea. Had Niccol worked out the kinks of the script more, he would have had something to transcend the genre. Unfortunately, he just offered another addition to the reason science fiction has such a bad reputation.