About Time - B

Rated R, 123 minutes

Wistful, sentimental "About Time" breaks its own rules

Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson

From the maker of "Love Actually" comes the mawkish but charming new romantic comedy "About Time" that blends both time travel and love. Ingratiating and unconventional, it can both confuse and tug at the heart strings, with winning performances from the leads.
At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time from his father (Bill Nighy) who tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time, though he can only change certain events in his own life. When Tim finally meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams) he realizes how difficult that can be. Directed and written by Richard Curtis of "Love Actually" fame, it's one of the better time travel-love stories (McAdams' own "The Time Travelers Wife" failed at this) and certainly one of the year's more memorable romantic comedies that succeeds mostly because of a charming cast. It features a stellar breakout performance from the lanky Gleeson, son of actor Brendan Gleeson and best known as Bill Weasley from the final two "Harry Potter" films, whose awkward, even geeky sensibilities ground the film well. He and McAdams share a sweet chemistry too, though his screen time with Nighy is more affecting, particularly in their final, heartbreaking father-son exchanges. Problematic, unsurprisingly, is the time traveling angle, always a tricky paradox for any filmmaker to handle, but especially complex when it involves romance, but still filled with some fun moments, particularly when Tim humorously uses it to his advantage (sex being one of them). Curtis is careful to establish the ground rules but then breaks them too easily for an unnecessary, sentimental moment, leaving some plot holes and confusion as Tim jumps back and forth, underscoring how both relationships and time travel can be complicated. It goes on a tad too long and the last act in particular is too pensive for a love story (i.e. take plenty of tissues), but Curtis along with Gleeson, and the always lovely McAdams make "About Time" one of the most unusual but winning romantic comedies of late. You'll also want the film's soundtrack, filled with some nice alt folk tunes.

Wes's Grade: B