Review of Timecode (2000) by Jason Y — 07 Jan 2005

Best in Show: Stellan Skarsgard.

One for the future: Xander Berkeley.

Stand-out scene: Revenge.

Brainer or no-brainer: Brainer.

Stands up to one viewing or repeated?: Repeated.

DVD commentary any good?: n/a.

TV.

Robert Altman must be kicking himself that he didn't come up with the premise behind this innovative movie before Mike Figgis. In it one story is shown from four points of view by means of a four-way split screen technique. The main focus switches between the four POVs by means of turning up the dialogue in the screen he wants you to take most notice of. The action takes place in real time (15 continuous takes over a fortnight were filmed in all) and revolves around a casting session at a small production studio headed by Alex Green (Skarsgard). The actors were told the basic skeleton of the plot and improvised their lines. Saffron Burrows, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Salma Hayek (one scene has Tripplehorn shouting the name 'Salma' instead of her character's name, Rose), Holly Hunter, Xander Berkeley and Julian Sands are amongst the luminaries on board. Some Figgis-composed jazz livens up the soundtrack and the cast take great delight in satirising the production process. Requiring a certain amount of concentration, this is a movie that demands and requires your full attention. An interesting experiment.