- A young woman visited by two time-travelers is shocked to learn that in matters regarding climate change, humans will never change even when presented with facts that would push their species to extinction.
- In 2030, Billy Jean Walterbob's brilliant recycling idea of reusing silica desiccant packets results in her being visited by two time travelers regarding climate change. One is there to murder her, while the other is there to murder her murderer.
- The film opens with the doorbell ringing at the home of Billy Jean Walterbob in the year 2030. Billy Jean answers to discover a time traveler from 2370, Mitchell V. Chivesky, on her front porch. Mitchell produces a directive from the president of the world authorizing him to 'set Billy Jean comfortably on the verandah.' When pressed as to the meaning of the directive, Mitchell reveals that in 2370, set you comfortably on the verandah means terminate. Taken aback, Billy Jean bids Mitchell a good day and ends their conversation. Undeterred, Mitchell screams through the front door, "Silica desiccant." A shaken Billy Jean asks Mitchell how he could know about an idea existing only in her head.
Mitchell suggests he come inside where they might further discuss the directive. He assures Billy Jean that he is bound by the time traveler code of ethics and cannot fulfill the directive unless Billy Jean approves. He then asks if they might have tea. Billy Jean agrees, and while preparing the tea, eyes the knife block on her kitchen counter. As she exits the kitchen with the tea, we notice that one knife is missing from the block. Arriving in the sitting room, Mitchell looks at the tea tray and asks Billy Jean if she might have cow's milk for his tea. After Billy Jean exits the room to get the milk, Mitchell produces a gun from inside his coat. The gun has a label on the barrel which reads, 'For Verandah Settings Only.' Mitchell squirts the verandah poison into Billy Jean's teacup just as she returns with the milk.
Mitchell then explains that Billy Jean's brilliant recycling plan of reusing silica desiccant packets has a fatal flaw in that she begins storing the packets in warehouses around the globe which in turn hurls humankind toward extinction. Billy Jean is shocked, asking, "Why would I store what is to be reused?" Mitchell explains that in the future, the Chinese would bioengineer rice where one grain could substitute for an entire packet of silica desiccant. As a result, Billy Jean's packets stored in close proximity to one another began absorbing all the moisture in the atmosphere, resulting in no clouds, no humidity, and finally, no rain. Billy Jean has a "ah-ha" moment and asks Mitchell if he would go back to 2370 and let his superiors know she is fully aware of her mistake. Mitchell declines, saying, "Hundreds of tests before time travel was permitted, showed that humans refused to change even when presented with facts that could cause their species to go extinct." Billy Jean starts to respond when the doorbell rings once more.
She excuses herself and answers the door to discover a time traveler from 2415, Norman Q. Haddish, standing on her porch. Norman holds a can of Excruciating Poison behind his back. He explains that he has a directive from the supreme commander of the world authorizing him to travel back in time to murder, Mitchell V. Chivesky. A confused Billy Jean suggests that the three of them should discuss this new revelation.
Norman enters the room where Mitchell is seated and begins to explain that in 2415, scientists had discovered a process in which water could be stored in silica desiccant bricks for easy transportation and then using a patented process, be released as needed. Billy Jean asks Norman, "What if Mitchell would agree to go back to 2370 and let his superiors know of the revelation in 2415?" Norman responds by saying that extensive testing had shown that humans refuse to change even when presented with facts that could cause the species to go extinct. He then asks Mitchell if he might violently murder him? At this point, Billy Jean reaches for her knife, Mitchell reaches for his gun, and Norman reaches for his poison. Tension fills the room. And then . . .
The doorbell rings.
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Top Gap
By what name was The Problem with Time Travel (2022) officially released in Canada in English?
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