Very emotional film: Wouldn't call it Sci-Fi

Rating: 8/10 (8 February 2017)

How do I start a review of this film? This film really hit me, in all likelihood because I've recently suffered a loss of a loved one.
The whole premise of this film is about changing the way you perceive and think: From the attitude towards 'aliens' to our concept of time.
If you struggle with movies in which you have to think to watch or want a fast paced alien movie, this isn't your film. This is a far more emotionally deep story about a woman who realizes that the aliens she has been brought to communicate with have been showing her glimpses of her future, not her past.
Even in the beginning, you can sort of have an idea that something isn't following a time-line, and that is a constant in the film: Which, I would argue loses viewers because it IS confusing. The short story followed a much more linear concept of time despite the fact the story-line is about following none linear time.
OK, quick lesson on time: We are taught from day one, that time begins and ends. We are born, we grow, we live, we die. That is linear time. None linear time concepts follow a theory that time is occurring simultaneously on different planes. Meaning, 1988 and 2088 are occurring along with right now, 2017. Ever have dejavu? The concept of this by theorists is that, with none linear time, these different time periods can eventually 'catch up' up to each other, thus crossing over at a split second in time, causing you to feel like "I've done this before'.
That's just one theory.
This is a risky film---this and Interstellar are working on intense theories and concepts that most people likely chose not to pursue in education--and trying to condense that knowledge in a 5 minute crash course of a Hollywood film can get lost--and it does in Arrival. The actual science is theory, aside from the linguistic aspects, and furthermore, there IS a pacing issue. It does get VERY slow--for a reason mind you--but I found this to start getting a bit tiresome. It was almost as if something had been edited out in post production.
This is more of an emotional drama about living life, and experiencing all of it: The joy, the heartache, the love, the loss-- -and if you knew your life in advance, would you still choose to follow that same path.
I really liked this movie, despite how emotional it made me. If you've recently suffered a loss of a dear loved one, you might want to put this film on hold---it does hit you hard.