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Movie Review: The Time Traveler’s Wife starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams

September 1st, 2009 — 2 Stars, Contemporary, Movie Reviews, Time Travel

timetravelerwife

I was very disappointed with Time Traveler’s Wife. Don’t get me wrong it was well executed, had great acting and cinematography but there was a key element that was simply missing for me. Having never read the book, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, I can’t say if the movie was missing this crucial element or if both the book and the movie are missing it.

Why does he travel? Why does he go back if he can’t stay for longer than a conversation? How many times has he tried to save his mom? What’s the point in zapping back to that moment over and over again? He can’t just talk to himself over and over again, that’s just being on constant repeat and I had the impression from later in the movie when he disappeared for two weeks that he still lived two weeks, he just lived them somewhere else.

Did love draw him to the meadow to meet his future wife? Or to the museum to meet his 10 year old daughter? He does hop into the future beyond his death, why doesn’t he tell his wife about those times? Sure, sure he doesn’t want her to wait, but why does he travel if not to meet with his loved ones?

The movie tries to give the impression of eternal life, but it’s a more melancholy message than you would expect. The Time Traveler does die, he can’t live the rest of his life or her life out. He’s not there always even when he’s not there, no matter what his wife and daughter say before the credits roll.

To tell you the truth, I was extremely disappointed with his wife in the end. He tells her that he doesn’t want her to wait and she folds his clothes up and walks back to the house with their daughter? She defied him once she should do it again – stick those clothes back on the stump and add a note or a cell phone and tell him what for! Ugh! It was terribly frustrating.

I have two sticking points in the story that didn’t cut it for me in the film. First, Eric Bana as Henry meeting Clare at six was just plain creepy. It was such a bizarre moment that almost read father to daughter, not how I would have scripted or kept as acted. I would have rerun it again and again until it was more subtle less patronizing or whatever the word is I’m looking for. Second, Alba as a time traveler, even if she does have control over her ‘gift’. I would not want a little girl to be hopping time without clothes on even if she could pick a lock – double creepy!

Rachel McAdams however was wonderful from start to finish. Loved her. She’s so cute and perfect for the role of older Clare. Her expressive face really carries the more poignant of scenes. She is truly a gifted actress and I would watch her in just about anything.

Overall though, for me this was a movie I’d see just once.

Rating: 2 Stars

Buy: The Time Traveler's Wife

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