All in Time

I confess, I am biased. I have been a fan of the Badlees, the real life band the fictional Damnsels are based on, for 20 years. Originally I watched the movie because of the music. I keep watching it (The DVD is on now!) for the story.

It doesn't feel like an indie movie. The acting, sound and photography are of such high quality. You can tell there was a lot of passion for this story, from many people.

The twist, it is worked into the story so well. Can't say much more without being a spoiler, just watch and you will understand.

Overall, it is just wonderful! You will not regret the time spent watching this movie!

Love with a twist. You will love this story and it's message. Makes you look in the mirror... and think.

In the music-fueled comedy All in Time, a Manhattan investment banker flies the corporate coop, returning to his Pennsylvania hometown to manage his favorite band. The "follow your bliss" setup might be the latest variation on a very old song, but filmmakers Chris Fetchko and Marina Donahue find a fresh hook, one that combines a charmingly no- tech sci-fi twist with a resounding affection for straight-ahead rock 'n' roll. Though the first-time writer-directors don't entirely avoid awkward patches or clunky dialogue, especially in the early sequences, they find a winning balance between high concept and down home sensibility. Using a mix of low-key magic realism and relatable characters, they offer convincing, unpredictable solutions to standard movie-formula dilemmas over the work-life balance. This is part of the Hollywood Reporter review from Sheri Linden

I don't know what it was about this movie that captured me, but it really did. The acting is not that great, and you can tell that it's a low budget production, but there is just something about the mood in this film that I really, really like. It makes you think about your choices in life, and maybe inspire you to go after your dreams, even though the road is tough. In this sense it reminds me of "Into the Wild" which made me feel much the same way. The movie doesn't follow the typical Hollywood build up, and things don't turn out the way we are used to, which is a breath of fresh air in my opinion. Also you get a little "twist" towards the end. Oh, and the music is fantastic!

8/10

I've just seen this film for the second time, the first time as I struggled to ram film after film into a tight film festival schedule. Fortunately I got to watch it again in some what more relaxed circumstances.

All In Time is a really hard film to sum up but very easy to like, it has an originality and charm that very few studio films would be able to achieve - essentially it's a story about love and opportunities lost and the different directions your life can take you when choosing a creative career choice you love over the more solid financial opportunities that a job on Wall Street will provide. Enter Charlie, he has chosen such a life but when he hears that his friends band is going to fold up he quits and decides to become their band promoter for two years. At first it goes well but when the bands writer, Glen, struggles to produce new material, he struggles to maintain their success, pretty soon he's losing his girlfriend, his friendship with the band and is having to re- mortgage his parents house to stay afloat. However his friend Clark and elderly neighbour Mrs Joshnman seem to have some of the answers he might be searching for. Can one last gig for the band with a radical time travel theme save the day?

Writer / Director Chris Fetchoko and Marina Donahue took this fairly simple story and put a really interesting and original twist on it. Charlies dilemma is one many creatives will be able to relate to be they from the acting, music or artist background, its something we all face at some point in our lives, often leading to elements of self destruction that put your other relationships in life at risk. This film captures that perfectly without resorting to pathos. This is largely thanks to two factors: A really good and witty script and a number of stand out performances from a very charismatic cast. Leading actor Sean Modica plays Charlie with a suitable venerability and passion that many will relate to and has something of an aura of a young Michael J Fox about him, while Jean-Luc Bilodeau as Clark slips into the plot almost seamlessly as the friend with a secret. Lynn Cohen steals all her scenes as the affable neighbour. Vanessa Ray and Josh Burrow are both excellent as girlfriend and best friend respectively.

Films have been made about the rise and fall of small bands before but I am struggling to think of one which captured the live music feel of the small venue concert so well apart from Alan Parkers 'The Commitments'. This really is the heart of the film. The soundtrack is amazing and if these singers - Laura Shay, The Badless are not signed up by major labels, they certainly should be. The film is funny and heartwarming with one scene towards the end where the realisation that sometimes its better to let things go in order to move forward and grow is especially poignant. The filmmakers took a really huge risk with one element of the story which I won't reveal here because it will spoil the third act of the film, but it works surprisingly well.

All In Time is a film with real heart, sure it has its faults but it has a real soul too. It states at the end that part of the director, Chris Fetchko died during the making of the film which suggests a turbulent road to bring it to the screen, the normal process with any low budget indy, but I have to say whatever the pains it was a journey that was totally worth it. I will be buying the DVD. One of the best and ballsy indy films I have seen in a long time. Charming.