In Time Review

In Time

Alternative Titles: Now, I’m.mortal
Language: English

Genre: Sci-Fi, Action

Year: 2011

Synopsis:

In the future, people are genetically engineered to stop aging once they’ve reached 25. Time has become the currency and people have to work in order to live. Their time is written on their wrist and they can transfer their time to one another through touching. The rich can practically live forever, and the poor die one by one after continuous price inflation.

Will Salas (Justin Timerlake), a man from the ghetto, lives day to day with his mother Rachel (Olivia Wilde). After saving a 105-year-old man named Henry Hamilton (Matt Bomer) at a bar, Will unknowingly receives all the years from Henry, leaving the latter a mere five minutes before going to the bridge. Will wakes up and sees a note saying, “Don’t waste my time’. He runs to the bridge but is unable to save Henry. With a century in his hands, he decides to bring his mother to New Greenwich where the rich and old live.

That night, Will is waiting at the bus stop. When he sees that his mother is not inside the arrived bus, he realizes that she doesn’t have enough time to afford a ride home. He runs and meets her mother, who is also running. But before they reach each other, Rachel times out and dies. Filled with agony and hatred, Will makes up his mind to destroy the time system. Meanwhile, Timekeeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy) is looking for Will, believing that he killed Henry.

Will goes to New Greenwich and faces the rich Philippe Weis (Vincent Kartheiser). He meets his daughter Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried) who takes an immediate liking to him. The Timekeeper arrives and tries to arrest Will. Will beats the men and takes Sylvia as his hostage.

Cheerfulnuts’ Review:

I wasn’t really attracted with the cast but I decided to watch In Time anyway after reading some good reviews about it. In the opening dialogues, I suddenly felt that this movie was going to be good. The idea of having time as a currency is scary. People really have to know time management, or else, they’ll die. This is where the rich can actually buy time, making them practically immortal. It’s pretty unique and I couldn’t wait to see how the story would go.

Despite the so-so acting, the dialogues are powerful. My personal favourite is a quote from Henry Hamilton – “Don’t waste my time.” The message is so strong and memorable. It makes me wonder if I had used my own time wisely.

I like the movie, but the only disappointment I have is the characters. Will and Sylvia’s “love” for each other isn’t convincing at all. They’ve just known each other for a few days, knowing almost nothing about each other, and Sylvia is willing to help Will, her kidnapper, with the risk of being killed? Without any “brainwashing”, Sylvia suddenly seems to have a scarred relationship with her father and even turned against him. I don’t think a rich 27-year-old lady suddenly turning into a righteous person is believable.  I wish the movie has at least shown how Sylvia has a change of heart. I know Philippe Weis isn’t exactly a good person, but Sylvia’s actions made her appear so callous.

Overall, the movie is good. It’s unusual, compelling, and memorable. It’s a must watch to anyone who wants to watch something different.

Cheerfulnuts’ Verdict:

7 out of 10 stars