About Nothing

Rating: 3/10 (24 October 2013)

I don't even know what to write about the logistics of the time travel aspect as it doesn't make sense and they know it. Time travel really isn't the point so why bother dissecting it. Anyway time travel is used only as plot device to toy with your emotions. But actually what it truly does is remove any drama that the main couple will get together. Time travel solves everything in his relationship with her. Except that this movie dragged on forever. I lost count how many times I thought that it could end. (Maybe I was hoping more than anything.) Richard Curtis maybe a great screenwriter, but he certainly knows nothing about directing. I am glad that he proclaimed that he wasn't directing after this. Does he think anyone cares? The pacing is so meandering with different sub-plots that then were very quickly solved with time travel. I also want to mention that for long periods of time, time travel is not used even when (I think) it should have been. It is too boring to go into details, just trust me. The major theme of the movie is not wasting each moment of your life (which is kind of ironic) with time travel used as a means of exploring that idea. Here is the problem: time travel is only used so he can manipulate the women of his dreams into falling in love with him. This makes their relationship unreal because while he maybe in love with her, she is only in love with the make believe version of him. The much better sub plot or co-main plot is the time traveling father and son relationship. Mr Curtis should have focused mainly on their relationship as it had a real emotional payoff at the end. This leads into what I thought of the acting. Rachel McAdams was completely wasted. (By the way can screenwriters find a different occupation other than lawyer, play write or book editor.) She and Domhnall had zero chemistry. ZERO! (Plus what was the deal with all the Kate Moss references? Just terrible.) The opening scene of them together worked, but only because the scene was entirely in the dark. Domhnall did start to grow into the role, but only in the scenes with his father. Bill Nighy was good and really stole the show from the leads. The rest of the cast was your typical poorly written rom-com family members, especially the Uncle. Nothing they did was interesting or the least bit funny. Kit Kat actually showed some interest in the beginning before falling victim to a time travel plot story line. I will say that the music in this movie was really above average so great job Nick Laird-Clowes. In conclusion: Mr Curtis wasted the unique time travel element and Rachel McAdams. Two unforgivable sins. Stay away!