Review of The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) by Skyler B — 22 Jan 2013

Just finished watching this a second time (on DVD) and I think it earns another half-star rating. While this is in no way as good as the book it is based on (an amazing, five-star read that WILL depress), this movie actually works as a companion piece, a "TTW for Dummies" sort of "text" that allows for an understanding of the story without delving - at any time - into any of the (incredibly good, well-balanced, and perfectly fitting) side stories. As the directory intended, the film is the love story of the book ripped for screen. While, as a reader of the book, one might miss things they loved from said book, the fact remains that - while the film is insanely brisk with its primary content - the main storyline is intact and well played out by the cast and, most importantly, the director and screenwriter who have taken a 500+ page book, condensed it into a 1 1/2 hour film, and shaved off enough to tell a story that packs punches at times.

Of course, with any 100 minute movie with wide ideas and little time to extrapolate upon any of them, this film has its issues; a distinct lack of character development (especially Henry's dad!); a rapid-fire collection of scenes that (ironically enough) jump through time, but far too fast; plot elements that seem to resolve themselves very quickly; philosophical talk-points, metaphysical issues, and/or spiritual quandaries that seem to be brought up just as quickly as they are dashed on the cutting room floor.

These things complicate the story in a bad way, in the end providing a tale far too simple when compared to the source material. Henry's feet, for example, play no special role in the movie other than - hey, he needs feet! As such, the end result of a terrible hypothermia incident is changed and not for the better (not for the worse, but just seemingly random and confounding as far as decisions go). This is just one element of the text that is beautifully described and simply left out of the film.

The acting is great and I don't hate Livingston who, for the first time ever, is likable in a movie. The casting of the main characters' daughter (both of them) is 50/50, but if those two girls aren't related, then something fishy is going on.

See the movie, read the book, though. Uh. That's all (review fell apart at the end, there).