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

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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The Time Travelers Wife DVD 2010

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Winner for Kathryn Nelson Giveaway

The winner of yesterday's Pemberley Manor Giveaway is:

6

Lucky #6 corresponds with Puzzled Princess who wrote:

I think sequels are a pleasant addition to any beloved series! One of the saddest moments for me as a reader is when I get to the last page of a particularly stimulating series. Hopefully, the ending will have left me feeling fulfilled, but even if I am lucky enough to have my desired happy or not ending, the fact of the matter is, it’s over. I find that when I am reading the last book in a series, I slow down and keep putting it off or I try to read just a little bit when I do pick it up to prolong the experience for as long as possible whereas in earlier books, I plow through them wanting to find out the ending of every cliffhanger and the fate of the characters to whom I have grown the closest.

I recognize that on occasion, some sequels are just bad or are interpretations of the characters’ futures which seem blasphemous to “true” fans, but truth be told, everyone probably has a slightly different idea of the characters’ happily ever after so what’s to stop an author for sharing their version with the world?

So thank you, sequel-authors out there, for giving us one more taste of our favorites.

Congratulations Puzzled Princess! I will be emailing you shortly for your mailing address. If for some reason you don't get it please email me at reviewromancenovel@yahoo.com

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