About Time (2013)
Film details
Drama · Romance · Fantasy · Richard Curtis · 2h 3min
Synopsis
The night after another unsatisfactory New Year's party, Tim's father tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time. They can't change history, but they can change what happens and has happened in their own lives. Thus begins the start of a lesson in learning to appreciate life itself as it is, as it comes, and most importantly, the people living alongside us.
Verdict
A moving reflection on time, family, and the beauty of the ordinary.
In-depth analysis
About Time builds a romantic comedy with the soul of a moral fable. The fantastic premise of time travel functions as a vehicle for a reflection on free will, fatherhood, and the weight of our daily decisions. Tim progressively learns that his gift cannot resolve what truly matters: death, inevitable sorrow, the responsibility of fatherhood. Richard Curtis's screenplay achieves depth when the protagonist discovers that a life well-lived does not consist of correcting every mistake but in choosing to be present in every moment. His relationship with his father — portrayed with delicacy by Bill Nighy — is the emotional core of the work: a portrait of filiation as a school of maturity and self-giving. The marriage with Mary is presented with naturalness and tenderness, without postmodern irony. The film celebrates fatherhood, conjugal fidelity, and the beauty of the ordinary. For parents: there is suggested marital intimacy and moderate adult language, but the underlying message is profoundly wholesome. A work that invites dialogue about what is truly worthwhile in life.