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"Review: 'In Time' 'Two Jews On Film' Agree...Don't Waste Your Time (Video)"
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Justin Timberlake is the SciFi Robin Hood
-
Nov 8, 2011
- by djevoke
- posted in Movie Hype
Rating:
In Time is a Sci Fi Robin Hood tale set in a futuristic looking 1960s. Time is money, literally and once everyone hits 25, their clocks start ticking down. Each person is given a year to live but, you can buy or win more time. You don't age past 25 which makes for confusing introductions (is it a grandpa, uncle, dad, or hot guy across the bar?). The rich have all the time in the world whereas the poor live day to day with a daily hike in taxes and costs of living in order to maintain a steady population. Here's my breakdown of the film:
+3
What I liked:
- Theme: What would you do if you had to literally live day to day? How would you spend the last year of your life? Time is Money literally. What would you do if you had to pay for things with your life? Every day, the rates for things rise to keep cost of living up in the ghetto with the likelihood of death high, in order to maintain population. The rich have enough time to last centuries, damn near immortal, and keep it in their own Time Zone- NEVER venturing out and their time stays there as well. I like the discussion of greed, capitalism and rich getting richer while the poor die trying to live day to day.
- Justin Timberlake: This boy has come a long way since his kinky curled head was singing in Kids Incorporated and then, boy band extraordinaire 'N Sync. His character was well written but, I thought he did a good job with the emotional underscore of the film. I fully believed that he lived in the ghetto all his life and fought every day to make it to the next. I also loved how he gave others time (insert sigh here lol).
- Olivia Wilde, Cillian Murphy, Johnny Galecki: These guys made a fantastic supporting cast. Murphy single-handedly saves the second half of the movie and makes it into an action flick. Wilde does amazingly well with what little she has and Galecki was great as Timberlake's childhood friend, though his character was kind of superfluous.
- Cars: I love muscle car and I love the cars of the 60s. The cop cars were muscle cars, Timberlake has a Bond like convertible, and everyone rolls around in 60s Lincoln limos (well, in the rich areas of the film they do).
- Sylvia Weis: Poor Amanda Seyfried (whom I think is incredibly talented but, has been getting poor scripts). This character was not well written at all. Poor little rich girl with all the time in the world but, nothing to do is bored with her imprisoned life of wealth until she meets the exciting and sexy rebellious Robin Hood from across the tracks. I think Seyfried did well with what she had, she just didn't have much.
- Like other reviewers have said, the film lays the groundwork for some interesting parallels to our own world and starts questioning how our economy works and if it's fair but, then, it leaves the questions in search of entertaining action. Maybe they thought that they had to make it super action-filled and not philosophical in order to fill seats but, I thought that they could've found a balance.
- The romance between Sylvia and Will: OK, look, I'll be the first one to tell you that JT is sexy but, come ON! He puts a gun to your head and drags you out away from everything you've known and your family, puts you in the middle of a cop chase and a chase from the Minutemen (gangster like thiefs that steal time in the ghetto) that almost gets you killed, all of your time is robbed, you're running around the ghetto which you've never been in spike heels and a cocktail dress, you're considered a felon with a price on your head, people try to kill you, you're thrown into what it's like to live in the ghetto with mere minutes to keep you alive and you're going to fall for the guy whose fault it is that you're in this situation? Ummm....N.F.L.
- The extra, unnecessary and sometimes cartoonish characters: SOMETIMES this works in a SciFi film....SOMETIMES. This is not one of those times. I would've much rather had a better flushed out and well written characters so that I could relate to this world. The only one I could relate to was Will Salas and I think he was the best written character except for maybe also the Time Keeper (Cillian Murphy who was excellent). Other than that, you could literally take or leave most of the cast and I hardly doubt it'd make a difference.
Conclusion: Definitely matinee or if you have a halfway decent home theater system, rent it or Netflix it. This is not one that you need to run out and see but, it will keep you entertained and bring up some interesting dinner/lunch/drinks conversation to have after you see the film. For that purpose, I'd also suggest going with someone.
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woopak_the_thrill
November 12, 2011
very nice breakdown and you got a badge in Movie Hype too! I think you should review more movies!! Seen Gattaca?
djevoke
November 12, 2011
Thanks Woo, I'm kinda experimenting with different styles. There's a few films out that I wanna see (J Edgar, Anonymous, and I forget what else lol), so your wish is my command ;p I don't think I've seen Gattaca, if I did, it was too long ago to remember.
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devora
November 09, 2011
Darn, I was hoping that this would be really, really good given the awesome preview, trailer and storyline. Oh well. Thanks for sharing!
djevoke
November 09, 2011
Well, Fernando liked it because of the action and it was definitely entertaining, so it isn't a total loss. But, yeah I wouldn't pay full price when I think they may be better films out there! Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :(
devora
November 09, 2011
This is where discounted Costco/Living Social movie tickets come in handy :D
djevoke
November 09, 2011
Exactamundo :)
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Scotman
November 08, 2011
Also, this sounds a lot like Logan's Run. Are you familiar with the story? Supposed to be remade next year or so.
djevoke
November 08, 2011
Nope, never heard of it! What's it about?
Scotman
November 09, 2011
It's a movie from the 70s. In this future, after the "apocalypse", you are born and implanted with a glowing jewel in your right hand. When you turn 30, the jewel glows red, and then you are "processed" -- that is, vaporized -- but you think you're going to a great glory or something. The men who are to capture those who run away are called Sandmen. Logan was a great catcher until the main computer turned his jewel red. Logan thought he had a few years left. Oops! Now he's on the run (thus the title). Here is the IMDB link and there is supposed to be a remake. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074812/
It's a movie from the 70s. In this future, after the "apocalypse", you are born and implanted with a glowing jewel in your right hand. When you turn 30, the jewel glows red, and then you are "processed" -- that is, vaporized -- but you think you're going to a great glory or something. The men who are to capture those who run away are called Sandmen. Logan was a great catcher until the main computer turned his jewel red. Logan thought he had a few years left. Oops! Now he's on the run (thus the title). Here is the IMDB link and there is supposed to be a remake. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074812/
Scotman
November 09, 2011
In the Sixties, there was an expression to "not trust anyone over 30", thus the people here never live past 30.
djevoke
November 09, 2011
Oh, that's true! That looks like a cool film, I'm going to have to check it out! Thanks for the recommendation :)
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Scotman
November 08, 2011
Great review. You just may have earned a badge!
djevoke
November 08, 2011
Thanks!
Scotman
November 09, 2011
Sure. All members of The Forbidden Planet get an "In Time" badge even if they post their review (sadly) elsewhere, LOL.
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More In Time (2011 film) reviews
In the beginning, I had high hopes for the film “In Time”. Partly because it was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, responsible for the cult hit “Gattaca” and also because he wrote “The Truman Show”. Ok, perhaps, his resume is less than stellar since he also wrote the less than impressive “Simone” and “Lord of War”. Be that as it may, his films always have an interesting premise and “In Time” was everything I expected. It … more
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Interesting, just in time for the last few review on Lunch! I must be one of the last few people to catch this in the cinema in Hong Kong! Even my visiting uncle from Toronto had seen it before I did! Never mind, In Time is just as interesting for the first to see as it is for the last. Provided you didn't cheat and know what the whole premise of the movie is all about. I like it for its conceptual thinking and the fact that it's based on something entirely different from our current … more
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It is said that time is money and in the new film "In Time" this statement takes on an entirely new meaning. In the future we learn that humans have been genetically created to stop aging at the age of 25. Once they reach this selected age, a clock starts to count down from one year. People can obtain more time via work, stealing it from others, or being gifted more time but once their clock hits zero, they expire or "Time Out" as it is called. As the film opens, we are introduced … more
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** out of **** It's the year 2161, and genetic engineering has turned cash and coin money into time; as literal as can be. How much of it you have it kept on a glowing, green countdown-like clock on your wrist; and when you run out of time, you also run out of life. So in other words, you die. This is a problem for the lower class people - the homeless, the poor, the unhealthy - but those of profound wealth need not worry, for they may replenish their time as often as they … more
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By Joan Alperin-Schwartz 'In Time' is a sci/fi thriller written, directed and produced by Andrew Niccol (Gattaca)...Maybe that's the problem. You know what they say about wearing too many hats... Okay, when the film begins, we discover that we are now in the future....A future where you stop aging at 25...(Guess that put a big dent in the Botox industry). Your mother, sister, grandmother, grandfather etc, … more
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The movie begins with a decent enough premises for the sci-fi universe and definitely has enough potential to feel like it could be something special. It was written and directed by Andrew Niccol who also wrote Gattaca and The Truman Show so the man is no stranger to the bizarre. Niccol’s future enjoys a very glossy look with a vintage touch; he has also envisioned a future full of attractive people. It is all very fitting because In Time concerns itself more … more
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About the reviewer
Samantha (djevoke)
I'm a human jukebox that is constantly changing my station depending on my mood! Feel free to share your passion with me in my communities: Pass the Remote!, Hip Hop Culture, Wedding Planning … more
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About this movie
In Time, previously titled Now and I'm.mortal, is a 2011 science fiction thriller film starring Amanda Seyfried, Justin Timberlake, Cillian Murphy, Olivia Wilde, Matt Bomer, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Galecki, and Vincent Kartheiser. The film, written and directed by Andrew Niccol, was released on October 28, 2011.Although In Time is set in the future, the film contains many retro influences. Most of these influences are from the early 1960's to late 1970's, with a bit of 1980's thrown in. For instance, many vehicles used for the film are actually 1960's and 1970's models, but heavily modified to make them look futuristic. Furthermore, a lot of buildings, both interior and exteriors, display retro influences as well. For example, Dayton, the ghetto, in which the main character was raised, was heavily influenced by hip-hop culture from the 1980's, although some parts of Dayton are influenced by the 1960's, while New Greenwich, a large city, in which Will's girlfriend, Sylvia Weis, lives contains buildings that resembles 1960's architecture. The film's characters also wear retro-futuristic clothing.
- In Time
- Opened October 28, 2011 | Runtime:1 hr. 55 min.
- PG-13Violence, some sexuality and partial nudity, and brief strong language
- Information for parents: Common Sense Media says Iffy for 13+. Read More
- In a future where time is money and the wealthy can live forever, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is a poor man who rarely has ...
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