About Time

I already got used to Richard Curtis making great movies with a positive vibe, containing a lot of thoughts worth fighting for. A lot of people recommended About Time to me, and since I like Rachel McAdams, I planned to see the movie for quite some time. And I can tell you, for a long time I did not feel such joy to be alive that I felt after watching this film. (21/06/2014)

What at first appeared to be a not particularly breezy, but thanks to the constant hinting that Rachel McAdams might show mammary glands, watchable romance in a genetically engineered Britain where there are hardly any minorities and one doesn't care about the ugly chick (whereas I would have assumed Curtis would have at some point been to England) degenerates into something unreal in the last third. I know that this sphere probably pays for cinema tickets, but the horrible final ode to the petty joys of the middle class of absolutely uninteresting people with whom I understand the viewer is supposed to identify somehow to embody an answer to the question of what a new mother’s discussion forum election spot would look like if Andrej Babiš were still trying to get publicity through it. And it would have been filmed by Renč. (11/02/2014)

If it followed the premise of a sci-fi rom-com where the protagonist goes back in time again and again to “get her” throughout, as it looks in the first half hour, About Time would have been a lot more fun. But in the end it’s a little monotonous and an incredibly non-conflicting fairy-tale that doesn’t want to be anything other than pleasant. It’s not my cup of tea, but I can’t deny its feel-good charm. (05/01/2014)

I’m aware that there are many, many films that are better in form and more important for the development of the medium, but I don't give a damn about them. About Time is a story about perceiving and experiencing the world around you that gives you wings and energy to get up again tomorrow and enjoy every (un-)ordinary minute. A story that completely absorbed me for two hours and showed me new dimensions that feelings associated with words such as love, happiness or friendship can take. A work of art with the most beautiful and beautifully conveyed message. Gleeson is the most likeable movie romantic, Rachel is the most amazing and wonderful romantic's dream, and Richard Curtis is a man I admire and respect indescribably. This is one of those films that can replace true love for me. Objectively, I could criticise it for a few logical inconsistencies and the lack of a supporting conflict in the second half, but subjectively it is perhaps my favourite and most emotionally influential cinematic experience along with Shawshank – and I prefer those emotions and impressions any day. (05/01/2014)

Richard Curtis has a truly distinctive style, but this time it wasn't all that fun with him. I wish I could give five stars to a film starring my favorite Bill Nighy, but although the filmmakers managed to create a pleasantly relaxing atmosphere. The romantic and touching moments far outbalanced the funny ones, verging on pathos at times, which was a disappointment. What I think the film needed was a quicker pace and a good dose of English humor. I would have added a star or two in that case. (17/04/2018)