I watched the 2011 Justin Timberlake flick In Time yesterday. You’re probably wondering why. I mean, it’s not like there’s any valid reason. JT’s not in the news. Is there a sequel in the works? Nope.
So why did I watch it? My wife made me.
You see, I put on my ninja moves and grasped the Roku remote when she wasn’t looking. That’s really the only way I get it. Hopefully, I’m not the only one out there that needs quick hands to gain control of the television. Seriously, I’m not the only one, right? Rather than “torturing her” by putting on Alien or Aliens again, she and I decided to compromise. She chose the movie, but it had to be sci-fi. She did a quick Google search of something like “sci-fi romance movies” and discovered In Time. I didn’t complain, either.
Have you seen In Time? It’s not a terrible movie. It’s a typical anti-capitalism futuristic sci-fi movie with a splash of Bonnie and Clyde meets Robin Hood. Oh, and throw in a splash of Logan’s Run.
What’s In Time About?
In a dystopian Ohio in 2169, every human is genetically engineered and built with a clock that starts the day they turn 24. The good news? You never age another day in your life. The bad news? The clock starts with only 1 year’s worth of time. When it expires, so do you. The catch? Time is currency. Need to buy food to feed your family? That’ll cost you a week. Worked a full shift at work? Here are 30 minutes.
I find it funny that another dystopian sci-fi movie chose Ohio for a location. Ready Player One, Fahrenheit 451, The 5th Wave, anyone? It’s believable, though. My wife is from Lorain, OH, and right now, it already looks dystopian/post-apocalyptic. Sorry, Lorain, but it’s the truth.
However, things differ for those wealthy society members, who have up to 1 million years on-hand. What was once a method of population control has devolved into class warfare.
What about Bonnie and Clyde/Robin Hood?
While the citizens of lower classes of society expire frequently, upper-class citizens are pretty much immortal. As you can imagine, this does not please the struggling poor people. In a moment not dissimilar to Romeo and Juliet, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) of the lower class meets Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried). Sylvia’s father, Phillipe Weis, is a wealthy businessman with over 1-million years in his possession. Will and Sylvia start holding up Weis time banks (Bonnie and Clyde). They hand the money out to the poor people (Robin Hood) to disrupt the economy and take power away from the elite.
Is it Really Worth Your Time? (pun intended)
Yes and no. JT’s a better singer than an actor. There’s not much character development, and the plot is a bit cliche. However, the countdown scenes where primary characters are seconds away from expiration as they sprint to get more time is exciting. I say give it a watch, especially if you have to make a compromise with your wife.
If you have an HBO Max account, check it out. Otherwise, head on over to Amazon and use my affiliate link to rent or buy it. Help a guy out, will you?!
