The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)

Director:

Robert Schwentke

Writers (WGA):

Bruce Joel Rubin (screenplay)
Audrey Niffenegger (novel)

Release Date:

14 August 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A romantic drama about a Chicago librarian with a gene that causes him to involuntarily time travel, and the complications it creates for his marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Librarian | Time Travel | Accidental Shooting | Wedding | Miscarriage

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Michelle Nolden	...	Annette DeTamble
Alex Ferris	...	Henry at Six
Arliss Howard	...	Richard DeTamble
Eric Bana	...	Henry
Katherine Trowell	...	Hospital Receptionist
Bart Bedford	...	Library Researcher
Esther Jun	...	Waitress
Matt Birman	...	Chicago Police #1
Craig Snoyer	...	Chicago Police #2
Rachel McAdams	...	Clare
Carly Street	...	Librarian
Romyen Tangsubutra	...	Thai Waiter
Brooklynn Proulx	...	Clare at Six and Eight
Jane McLean	...	Charisse
Ron Livingston	...	Gomez
Brian Bisson	...	Mark Abshire
Maggie Castle	...	Alicia Abshire
Fiona Reid	...	Lucille Abshire
Philip Craig	...	Philip Abshire
Mario Tufino	...	Barber
Shawn Storer	...	Moving Man
David Talbot	...	Pastor
James Lafazanos	...	Jeremy (Gallery Owner)
Dan Duran	...	Lottery Announcer
Kenner Ames	...	TV Sales Person
Alison MacLeod	...	Realtor
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Dr. Kendrick
Hailey McCann	...	Alba at Nine and Ten
Donald Carrier	...	Dr. Osman
Jan Caruana	...	Dr. Osman's Nurse
Jean Yoon	...	Dr. Montague
Tatum McCann	...	Alba at Four and Five
Duane Murray	...	Resident Doctor
Paul Francis	...	Hunting Buddy
Jon Bruno	...	Chicago Radio Show Host
Kevin Drew	...	Broken Social Scene - Singer
Brendan Canning	...	Broken Social Scene - Band Member
Andrew Whiteman	...	Broken Social Scene - Band Member
Justin Peroff	...	Broken Social Scene - Band Member
Michael Bell	...	Voice Over (voice)
June Christopher	...	Voice Over (voice)
David Cowgill	...	Voice Over (voice)
Makenna Cowgill	...	Voice Over (voice)
Terri Douglas	...	Voice Over (voice)
Chad Einbinder	...	Voice Over (voice)
Ashleigh Falls	...	Voice Over (voice)
Jackie Gonneau	...	Voice Over (voice)
Kerry Gutierrez	...	Voice Over (voice)
Helaine Lembeck	...	Voice Over (voice)
Anne Lockhart	...	Voice Over (voice)
Mona Marshall	...	Voice Over (voice)
Scott Menville	...	Voice Over (voice)
Heidi Brook Myers	...	Voice Over (voice)
Jonathan Nichols	...	Voice Over (voice)
Paul Pape	...	Voice Over (voice)
Greyson Spann	...	Voice Over (voice)
Pepper Sweeney	...	Voice Over (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alexis Beckley	...	Zoo Visitor (uncredited)
Gene Fojtik	...	Zoo Chaperone (uncredited)
Bryanna Hartung	...	Visitor at Zoo (uncredited)
Dave Kiner	...	Man (uncredited)
Keith Lawson	...	Zoo Visitor (uncredited)
Abi McKenzie	...	Girl on Beach (uncredited)
Christina Orjalo	...	Rosa (uncredited)
Amanda Whitcroft	...	Girl in Library (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Schwentke

Writing credits (WGA)
Bruce Joel Rubin		(screenplay)
Audrey Niffenegger		(novel)

Produced by
Richard Brener	....	executive producer
Dede Gardner	....	producer
Justis Greene	....	executive producer
Kristin Hahn	....	co-producer
Sara Moe	....	associate producer
Brad Pitt	....	executive producer
Nick Wechsler	....	producer
Michele Weiss	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mychael Danna

Cinematography by
Florian Ballhaus		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Deborah Aquila
Robin D. Cook
Jennifer L. Smith
Tricia Wood

Production Design by
Jon Hutman

Art Direction by
Peter Grundy

Set Decoration by
Patricia Cuccia

Costume Design by
Julie Weiss

Makeup Department
Michal Bigger	....	personal makeup artist: Ms. McAdams
Ann Brodie	....	makeup department head
Susan Exton-Stranks	....	key hair stylist
Agnes M. Gibicar	....	hair stylist: Chicago (as Agnes Gibicar)
Vivian Guzman	....	hair stylist: Chicago
Laura MacCon	....	dailies makeup artist
Helen Marchfield	....	makeup artist: Chicago
Pamela Milone-McLaughlin	....	hair stylist: Chicago
Tim Mogg	....	makeup artist
Francesca Paris	....	personal hair stylist: Ms. McAdams
Vincent Sullivan	....	head of hair department
Thomas Terhaar	....	additional hair stylist
Christien Tinsley	....	designer and creator: special make-up effects
Kerry Vaughan	....	assistant makeup artist: dailies
Dorota Zajac	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Erik Holmberg	....	executive in charge of production
Heather Meehan	....	unit production manager
Sara Romilly	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Tim Cushen	....	assistant director
Gillian Müller	....	daily assistant director
Neesha Patki	....	third assistant director
Mike Topoozian	....	first assistant director
Donald Young	....	daily assistant director
Jennifer Zabawa	....	daily assistant director

Art Department
Colin Adams	....	on-set dresser
John Bannister	....	key scenic artist
Kirk Cheney	....	construction coordinator
Danielle Fleury	....	set decoration buyer
John Fraser	....	studio backing designer and artist
James A. Frith	....	art department coordinator
Jason Graham	....	first assistant art director
Jason Graham	....	graphic artist
Elis Lam	....	first assistant art director
Yasmyn Lee	....	art department apprentice
Yasmyn Lee	....	trainee assistant art director
Alan Letts	....	construction coordinator: reshoots
John MacNeil	....	set designer
Joe McLean	....	assistant head carpenter
Kari Measham	....	set decoration buyer
Kenny Meinzinger	....	set dresser
Matt Middleton	....	second assistant art director
Marquee Reno	....	buyer: Chicago
Jaclyn Shoub	....	concept artist
Jeremy Simser	....	storyboard artist
Rob Valeriote	....	head carpenter: reshoots

Sound Department
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
John Cannon	....	supervising assistant sound editor
Julio Carmona	....	adr recordist
Gordon Chacra	....	boom operator
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Hector C. Gika	....	sound designer (as Hector Gika)
Glynna Grimala	....	effects editor
Steve La Fayette	....	boom operator: Chicago
Kimaree Long	....	adr editor
Kimaree Long	....	dialogue editor
Craig Mann	....	re-recording mixer
Dave McMoyler	....	supervising sound editor
Michael Minkler	....	re-recording mixer
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Michelle Pazer	....	adr editor
Michelle Pazer	....	dialogue editor
Alex Riordan	....	sound mixer: Chicago (as F. Alexander Riordan)
Steve Robinson	....	foley artist
Robert Scherer	....	production sound mixer (as Robert F. Scherer)
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer
Kevin J. Summers	....	cable: Chicago (as Kevin Summers)
Karen Vassar Triest	....	sound effects editor (as Karen Vassar)
Tim Walston	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Dorian Williamson	....	cableperson
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist
Lars Bjerre	....	dialogue denoising (uncredited)
Corey Eccles	....	sound intern (uncredited)
Kenneth Gilbert	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Rick Gould	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Anne Lockhart	....	adr loop group (uncredited)
Brian Seagrave	....	audio post-conform (uncredited)
Greg Townsend	....	sound mixing recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Alex Burdett	....	special effects supervisor
Terence J. Cox	....	pyrotechnician
Joe Giles	....	special effects: Tinsley Transfers Effects Studio
Jason Hamer	....	special effects technician
Brian Hillard	....	special effects makeup: Tinsley Transfers
Michael Innanen	....	special effects first assistant: re-shoot
Tony Kenny	....	special effects coordinator: reshoots
Paul Krysinski	....	special effects technician
Craig McLauchlan	....	special effects assistant
Allison Oliver	....	special effects artist: Tinsley Transfers
Troy Rundle	....	special effects key
Brodie Spaull	....	special effects technician
Lino Stavole	....	special effects: Tinsley Transfers Effects Studio
Sophie Vertigan	....	special effects snow key
Diane Woodhouse	....	special effects coordinator: Tinsley Transfers Inc.

Visual Effects by
Robert Adams	....	tracking & integration: R!OT
Jerry Andrews	....	motion control operator
Michael Angelo	....	Inferno artist: R!OT
Mayumi Arakaki	....	digital producer (as Mayumi Arakaki Davies)
Jennifer Avery	....	visual effects production assistant
Kelly Bumbarger	....	digital compositor
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
Daniel Aristoteles Collins	....	systems/operations: Rhythm & Hues
Charles Collyer	....	compositor: R!OT
Tim 'Timco' Conway	....	tracking & integration lead: R!OT (as Tim Conway)
Robert Coquia Jr.	....	data management: R!OT
Del DePierro	....	tracking & integration: R!OT
Mark Edwards	....	digital production manager: R!OT
Dustin Foster	....	assistant production manager: R!OT
Jamie Hallett	....	dfx supervisor: R!OT
Lindsay Hallett	....	executive producer: R!OT (as Lindsay Burnett)
Phil Holland	....	digital imaging specialist
Holly Gregory Horter	....	roto/paint: R!OT (as Holly Horter)
David Jones	....	visual effects supervisor (as David M.V. Jones)
Evan Kantor	....	vfx coordinator: R!OT
Louis Kreusel	....	render i/o coordinator: Rhythm & Hues
David Lamps	....	render i/o coordinator: Rhythm & Hues Studios
Kurt Lawson	....	compositor: R!OT
Young Lee	....	technical animator: Rhythm and Hues
Laurence Lok	....	2d lead: R!ot
Sean Looper	....	pipeline architect: R!OT
Brian Lutge	....	fx: R!OT
Sean Mattini	....	digital colorist assist
Erika A. McKee	....	visual effects producer (as Erika McKee)
Douglas Melville	....	plate coordinator: R!OT
Kanae Morton	....	roto/paint: R!OT
Marla Neto	....	vfx production assistant: R!OT
Hiroyuki Okubo	....	fx: R!OT
Mitch Paulson	....	second digital colorist: EFILM
Lauren Ritchie	....	executive in charge of visual effects
Cat Rowe	....	digital colorist assist
Steven J. Scott	....	supervising digital colorist
Daphne Simone	....	compositor
Brad Smith	....	render I/O administrator
Mai Suzuki	....	roto/dustbust: R!OT
Robert Tatum	....	roto/paint: R!OT
Ben Taylor	....	render i/o coordinator
Cecile Tecson	....	roto/paint: R!OT (as Cecile F. Tecson)
Will Telford	....	digital effects supervisor: Rhythm & Hues Studios
Alexander Tirasongkran	....	tracking & integration: R!OT
Zachary Tucker	....	previsualisation: R!OT
Cary Welton	....	roto/paint: R!OT (as Cary B. Welton)
Shane Christopher Wicklund	....	roto artist: R!OT
Andy Wilkoff	....	CG supervisor: R!OT (as Andrew Wilkoff)
Ned Wilson	....	compositor: Riot
Chris LeDoux	....	compositor: R!OT (uncredited)
Shuichi Suzuki	....	cg modeler (uncredited)

Stunts
Brittney Banks	....	utility stunts
Matt Birman	....	stunt performer
Tobiasz Daszkiewicz	....	stunts
Flint Eagle	....	stunt driver
Rick Le Fevour	....	stunt coordinator: Chicago
Steve Lucescu	....	stunt driver
Regan Moore	....	stunt performer
Layton Morrison	....	assistant stunt coordinator
Layton Morrison	....	stunts
Billy Oliver	....	stunt rigger
Steve 'Shack' Shackleton	....	stunt rigger
Craig Snoyer	....	stunts
John Stoneham Jr.	....	fight coordinator
John Stoneham Jr.	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Anderson	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Mongo Andrews	....	key rigging grip
Sean Bourdeau	....	assistant key grip
Russel Bowie	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Kevin Boyd	....	key video assist: Chicago
Rocky Brown	....	daily rigging grip
Alex Dawes	....	rigging electric best boy
Sean Dawes	....	electric
Andy Day	....	gaffer: Chicago
Richard Emerson	....	key grip
Candide Franklyn	....	Steadicam operator
Bob Gomez	....	rigging electrician: Chicago
Charlie Grubbs	....	rigging gaffer: location
Michael Hall	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Thomas Lappin	....	camera operator
Matthew LeCrone	....	electrician
Richard D. Leko	....	daily electric
Richard D. Leko	....	daily grip
Kara MacLean	....	camera assistant trainee
Sean Marjoram	....	daily electrician
Alan Markfield	....	still photographer
Blake E. Matthys	....	rigging electrician: Chicago
Robert McLachlan	....	additional cinematographer
Donna McLain	....	electrician
Anthony Nocera	....	digital video assist operator
Keith Pokorski	....	first assistant camera: Chicago
Tracy Shaw	....	assistant key rigging grip
Darren Spriet	....	camera loader
Dean Stinchcombe	....	first assistant camera
John Vrakking	....	rigging grip
Ian C. Harris	....	additional rigging electrician (uncredited)
Jeff Tomcho	....	camera loader: Chicago (uncredited)

Animation Department
Jonathan Wolfe	....	main title animator

Casting Department
Terri Douglas	....	adr voice casting
Samantha Finkler	....	casting associate
Darlene R. Hunt	....	extras casting
Rachel Komar	....	extras casting
Erin Toner	....	casting associate
Lisa Zagoria	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Constance Buck	....	wardrobe supervisor
Stella Cottini	....	key costumer
Laura Kaminski	....	set costumer
Loreen Lightfoot	....	costume cutter
Kathleen Meade	....	costume supervisor
Virginia Lise Melin	....	costume production assistant
Robyn Rosenberg	....	costume truck supervisor
Nadia 'Sunny' Sorge	....	wardrobe assistant
Stevie Baker	....	wardrobe production assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Betty Burkhart	....	post-production coordinator
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Beth Dewey	....	digital intermediate producer
Matt Diezel	....	additional editor
Ashleigh Falls	....	post-production assistant
Bernie E. Gomez	....	post-production assistant (as Bernie Gomez)
Mary Juric	....	post-production assistant
Aaron Marshall	....	first assistant editor
Cam McLauchlin	....	assistant editor: avid dailies
Robert E. Phillips	....	digital intermediate assistant producer
John Potter	....	high definition preview timer
Jennifer Stellema	....	second assistant editor: avid
Bronwyn Waddington	....	visual effects editor

Music Department
Bob Bowen	....	music supervisor
Nicholas Dodd	....	conductor
Nicholas Dodd	....	orchestrator
Richard Ford	....	music editor
Brad Haehnel	....	score mixer
Oliver Hug	....	assistant music editor
Joel Iwataki	....	music scoring mixer
Rouble Kapoor	....	assistant score mixer
Victor Pesavento	....	music preparation
Andrew Shulman	....	musician
Steven L. Smith	....	music preparation
Patrick Spain	....	assistant scoring engineer
Amritha Vaz	....	music assistant (as Amritha Fernandes Bakshi)
Gina Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Transportation Department
James Beaudrow	....	utility driver
Jeff Bell	....	transportation captain
Gord Bettles	....	picture car mechanic
Bill Boyd	....	picture car coordinator
Emily Halfon	....	transportation office coordinator
Dana Howes	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Ireland	....	transportation co-captain
Brian C. Pawlowski	....	transportation manager
Regina Petrik	....	daily driver
Dave Wilson	....	picture car co-captain
Ian C. Harris	....	daily driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Camrin Agin	....	production attorney (as Camrin Crisci)
Assata Amoaku	....	craft service
Krystin Auriemma	....	production assistant
Lynell Bangs	....	production accountant
Laurel Beck	....	production assistant
Laurel Bresnahan	....	studio teacher
Michael Buster	....	dialect coach: Eric Bana
Christopher Comrie	....	payroll accountant
George Constas	....	location assistant
Don Cornelius	....	location manager
Brandan Dennehy	....	production assistant
Jessica Doran	....	set medic
Ashleigh Falls	....	adr loop group
James Fraser	....	production coordinator
Jen Gasson	....	assistant: Mr. Bana
Corey Gibbons	....	key set production assistant: Chicago
Ian Gibson	....	production assistant
Emily Glatter	....	supervising production coordinator
Carrie Goodman	....	assistant location manager: Chicago
Steven Guerry	....	assistant: Mr. Wechsler
Christine Harwart	....	stand-in
Elspeth Haughton	....	production coordinator (as Elspeth Cassar)
Callie Hersheway	....	office production assistant: Chicago
Cynthia Hiley	....	production secretary: reshoots
Bill Hong	....	insert car operator
A.J. Hordal	....	assistant location manager
Ryan Hupponen	....	production secretary
JoAnn Fregalette Jansen	....	movement coach
Patricia Johnson	....	unit publicist
Stephen Khalla	....	daily location assistant
Holly Lee	....	assistant: Mr. Bana, Chicago
Helaine Lembeck	....	adr loop group
Eric Macmillan	....	set medic coordinator
Keara Maive	....	stand-in: Alba - age 9
Emma McCarthy	....	payroll clerk
Abi McKenzie	....	stand-in
Adam Meaden	....	location production assistant: daily
Dusty Mitchell	....	photo double: Eric Bana
Louise Muskala	....	assistant: Mr. Greene
Heidi Brook Myers	....	adr loop group
Julie Ng	....	epk producer
Pete Nilson	....	on-set caterer
Margaret J. Orlando	....	production coordinator: Chicago
Deb K. Oyer	....	production coordinator: Chicago
Nicholas Pappas	....	business & legal affairs
Scott Parker	....	post-production accountant
Jonathan Pencharz	....	assistant production coordinator
John Quilico	....	set production assistant
Nick Rafferty	....	assistant location manager: Chicago
John Rakich	....	assistant location manager: reshoots
Graham Roche	....	office production assistant
Paul Ruffolo	....	key set production assistant: Chicago
Tracey Savein	....	location scout
Mallory Squeo	....	additional production assistant
Joe Steele	....	production resources
Helen Stergiou	....	payroll: second unit
Stephanie Stonley	....	second assistant accountant
Warner Strauss	....	assistant location manager
Alan Sutton	....	fire safety coordinator
Rebecca Sweetman	....	assistant: Ms. McAdams
Michael Taylor	....	post production executive
Ashley Tener	....	assistant: Ms. Gardner
Elizabeth Tremblay	....	script supervisor
Carly Weiner	....	assistant: Mr. Bana
Claire Wiegand	....	production assistant
Amy Wright	....	choreographer
Anna Zenner	....	set production assistant: Chicago
Christina Hwang	....	title producer (uncredited)
Nicholas Jamison	....	location assistant (uncredited)
Jesse Korosi	....	playback editor (uncredited)
David J. Phillips	....	vfx double: Eric Bana (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Internationale Scarena Filmproduktionsgesellschaft 2
• New Line Cinema
• Nick Wechsler Productions
• Plan B Entertainment

Distributors

• Applause Entertainment (2009) (Taiwan) (theatrical)
• Cinestar (2009) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• New Line Cinema (2009) (USA) (theatrical)
• Saigon Movies Media (2009) (Vietnam) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2009) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• ARM Distribution (2009) (Taiwan) (all media)
• Alliance Films (2009) (Canada) (all media)
• CN Entertainment (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Distribution Company (2009) (Argentina) (all media)
• Districine (2009) (Mexico) (all media)
• Eagle Pictures (2009) (Italy) (all media)
• Entertainment in Video (2010) (UK) (DVD)
• Entertainment in Video (2010) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Film1 (2010) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Distributors (2009) (Middle East) (all media) (Middle East)
• Metropolitan Filmexport (2009) (France) (all media)
• New Line Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• New Line Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Nu Metro Productions (2009) (South Africa) (all media)
• Roadshow Film Distributors (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (2010) (Sweden) (DVD)
• TriPictures (2009) (Spain) (all media)
• Village Roadshow Greece S.A. (2009) (Greece) (all media)
• Warner Bros. (2009) (Eastern Europe) (all media)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2010) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Tinsley Studio (prosthetic design and fabrication) (as Tinsley Transfers)
• Riot (visual effects)
• Rhythm and Hues (computer generated stag)
• Community of Science and Arts Visual Effects (additional visual effects)
• Kinetic Camera (motion control)

Other Companies

• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Cinelease  lighting equipment
• Clairmont Camera  camera equipment provided by (Toronto, ON)
• David J. Woods Productions  video playback
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• ExtraOrdinary Casting  extras casting
• Glenwood Place Studios  score mixed at
• Hollywood Studio Symphony  orchestra
• Jo Anne Kane Music Services  music preparation (as JoAnne Kane Music Services)
• Kona Cutting  negative cutting
• Loop Troop  adr voice casting (as The Loop Troop)
• New Line Records  soundtrack
• Ocean Way Recording  music recorded at
• Picture Mill, The  main and end titles (as Picture Mill)
• Post Modern Sound  ADR recording facility
• Scarlet Letters  end titles
• Soundelux  post-production sound services
• Tattersall Sound  Avid rentals
• Tattersall Sound  picture editing facilities
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  foley recording
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  sound re-recording
• Todd-AO Studios  adr recording (as Todd-AO West)
• William F. White International  Chapman camera dollies
• William F. White International  grip and lighting equipment

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, brief disturbing images, nudity and sexuality

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #44551) | Singapore:PG | Australia:M | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Argentina:13 | Philippines:PG-13 (MTRCB) | Iceland:12 | Japan:G | South Korea:12 | Mexico:B | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Sweden:11 | Hong Kong:IIA | Netherlands:12 | Finland:K-11 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Malaysia:PG-13 | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Internationale Scarena Filmproduktionsgesellschaft 2

Trivia:

Adrien Brody was the author's first choice for Henry while Lauren Ambrose was her choice for Clare.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The Calendar page for February 1984 pasted in Clare's diary has 30 days.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Henry at Six:[giving up] I can't sing.
Annette DeTamble:That was fine, Henry.
Henry at Six:I can't sing like you.
Annette DeTamble:Of course not. You're supposed to sing like you.

Movie Connections:

Features Dark Victory (1939)

Soundtrack:

Es ist ein Ros entsprungen

Henh?

There seem to be two reasons why some people rave about a truly dumb movie like this: 1) they're fans of the book on which it was based, so the movie completes a personal loop for them; and 2) it's a so-called "love story."

As to the first reason, someone viewing a film should not have to be familiar with the source material in order to "get" the story and enjoy the film version; a film should be able to stand or fall on its own storytelling merits. This one fails and falls with a dull thud. There is no arc to the story, which flat-lines for almost two hours of convoluted tedium, making me wonder how boring the book must be. Even when the protagonist finally dies (hey, a plot point!), the story doesn't end, because he comes back again for a quick, reassuring hug---yay!

The only points made in the film are that this guy is a time traveler and that his apparently random, Whack-a-Mole popping in and out of the time continuum is a real problem for the woman who loves him. (Gee, ya think?) The concept of time travel is not new, and therefore shouldn't require exhaustive explanation. But in most novels and films on the subject, we at least know "why" someone is able to travel through time (see "The Time Machine", or a much better time-travel/love story, "Somewhere in Time"). If this is given even the most cursory explanation in TTTW, I must've missed it. I guess the guy is a time traveler because...uh...he's a time traveler.

As to the second reason people (probably 99% of them women) seem to like this movie, apparently all it takes for a narrative to be deemed a "love story" is for two very sexy people to gaze longingly into each others' eyes and whisper sweet nothings, eventually leading to some amber-lighted lovemaking. But that's not a love story, it's the cinematic equivalent of a romance novel. (To you aspiring filmmakers: one sure-fire way to have a successful career in Hollywood is to throw together some scenes involving an extremely attractive couple exchanging meaningful looks and enjoying some cutesy playfulness---perhaps trying on goofy hats, or chasing each other in the park or at the beach, accompanied by the appropriate music---and spice it up with a little hot sex, during which the woman must be in the throes of rapturous ecstasy---he must be The One!)

I've been a writer my entire life, and I earned an Emmy nomination for a documentary I wrote and directed, so I'm no stranger to structure and narrative. I'm also a movie lover. I really enjoy a knotted plot, a dense storyline, complex characters, and/or a challenging exposition, and I also enjoy a moving, well-told love story. TTTW has none of these. After only a few minutes, I was totally confused, but I assumed that the answers to any salient questions (such as why the guy travels through time) would be revealed in due course. They weren't. Instead, we have this guy showing up naked every few minutes, at various ages, and talking to his love interest (at various ages) or to himself (at various ages) or to his parents (at various ages) or to his daughter (at various ages). And what do they talk about during these brief visits? The fact that he's a time traveler, of course! Uh-oh, story losing steam? No problem---just have the guy shed his clothes and pop up nude somewhere!

I want my two hours back...