The Time Traveler's Wife
Starring: Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Arliss Howard, Ron Livingston, Stephen Tobolowsky
Directed by: Robert Schwentke
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama, Romance, Fantasy
2009

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: A reluctant time traveler (Eric Bana) moves back and forth through time- never knowing where he'll end up or how long he will be there. He falls in love with Clare (Rachel McAdams), as he connects with her at various points throughout her life.

Review:
Tim: I always appreciate when romantic movies do something different. The genre can get old and stale very quickly- boy meets girl, they fall in love, are torn apart, then reunite. These movies are often predictable. So, when Audrey Niffenegger's novel came to the big screen, I was actually somewhat excited. I don't mind good romantic movies, and I like time traveling movies, so this looked like something I might like. I was not prepared for how much I loved this movie, though. It is a great, great film.

The Time Traveler's Wife has just about everything you would want. At the heart of the movie is a romance between two fascinating characters, Henry and Clare. I loved both Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams in these roles. Bana is terrific as the time traveler. He is such a fantastic actor, and I really believe he can play any role. He was charismatic, likeable, and real in this film. I thoroughly enjoyed him. I also am a fan of Rachel McAdams. I think she has real talent as an actress, and generally has good taste in choosing roles. This is the perfect type of movie for her. She and Bana have great chemistry together. I bought them as people in love, and I identified with them. This is a very emotional movie, and those emotions are possible because of the performances of Bana and McAdams. They really make this movie.

I was amazed at how well this movie explained the time traveling aspects. I was a bit worried that this would be too fantastical for the movie and would seem out of place or hokey. Surprisingly, the time traveling aspects are explained brilliantly- they never feel silly, but just an organic part of the story. I almost took this part for granted- "oh, he is time traveling again." I never questioned the validity or the possibility of this. The fact that this movie could make time travel seem normal speaks volumes about its effectiveness.

The Time Traveler's Wife did a fantastic job of telling a powerful story in a real and emotional way. I was surprised by how emotional this story became. It is one thing when two lovers are battling the normal, everyday forces of the world- it is very different when the are facing time itself. I thought this gave the entire film a fresh feeling and made the situations all the more powerful. I loved how the time traveling aspects were never used as a gimmick- but as an integral part of the story. It would have been easy for this to get out-of-hand and silly, but the story wisely builds itself around the time traveling aspect- so it is critical to every single second of the film.

I admit that romantic movies oftentimes face a greater hurdle than other movies (at least in my opinion). Whereas an action movie can explode something in a new way, it is harder to tell a love story in a unique and different way. However, when these movies can do that- when they can surprise and still touch the heart- those successes translate into fantastic results. The Time Traveler's Wife is one of my all time favorite romantic movies, and I firmly believe it is one of the best films of the year. My heart isn't always hard, and this one broke through. This is a great, great movie.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8.5



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: The Notebook, Just Like Heaven, Groundhog Day, The Fountain