TiMER

[avrelia]

One of the pleasures not available to Canada is Netflix. There are lost of things that more than make up for its absence, of course, so it’s that we were lacking entertainment because of it, but now - since we can have it - we amuse ourselves by looking for things to watch there, we wouldn’t watch otherwise.

One of those finds is TiMER. I learned about its existence from here: http://io9.com/5642348/timer-and-the-trope-of-destructive-prescience, and immediately wanted to see it - as it is available on Netflix steaming video.

For the first five minutes I had a feeling I am in Buffyverse AU, where Anya and Halfrek are working on some hapless male together. The feeling passed soon, and I got used to seeing Emma Caulfield as Oona, the orthodontist who is looking for her soulmate. Here is the thing - in this world it is assumed that everyone has a soulmate, and it is easy to find it - you only have to implant a small device into your wrist, called TiMER, and it starts a countdown to the momentous meeting with him or her, and when your soulmate is in the range, a pretty tune will alert both of you. Sounds perfect, isn’t it? No more heartbreak, unrequited love, plummeting divorce rate and so on. But, of course, they bring completely new problems. Oona’s TiMER isn’t yet started the countdown - and she is almost 30 - which means that her soulmate hasn’t yet got himself a TiMER. Her stepsister and the best friend Steph, also at 30, has a dozen more years till the meeting with “the one”, so she spends the waiting time with one-night stands. Their brother meets his soulmate three days after getting the TiMER, at 15, and well, nobody is happy.

it is not a romance, or a romantic comedy. I would say it is a scifi comedy about love. It tries to explore predestination, and love and how can our behaviour would change if we know our future. It poses questions without suggesting right answers. Oona and Steph both try to defy their screwed TiMER-ed futures. And their brother is facing the future that is already all settled for him at 15. Is love still exist? Are people slaves to their own technology or just to their own believes? Are there no more second chances? How to love a person when you know they are meant for someone else?

The turns and twists are rather predictable, but that doesn’t really spoil the fun of poking at the predetermination and love. And it is always a pleasure to see Buffyverse alumnae in starring roles and episodes (Kali Rocha). The movie is not groundbreaking or too deep, but quite solid and fun ride to no answer.

Comments

[undeny.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool. I've had it in my Netflix for awhile but maybe I'll watch it soon. :)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

It's a fun movie. :)

[jonesiexxx.livejournal.com]

One of the pleasures not available to Canada is Netflix.

I subscribe to zip.ca. My understanding is that it is a Canoodian analogue to Netflix. But I have to admit, I haven't done anything but rent movies from it. Plus Netflix is apparently coming here. This is all wasted on me of course. I never even watch the movies in my queue.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

I knew about zip.ca, but we've never actually used it. If we didn't buy something, we would usually get movies from the public library, or from friends, and that was kind of enough.

BTW, we will be in Toronto in November! For the passports. Can't wait!