TiMER (2009)

One of my all time favorites.

Just perfect...

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

TiMER has an intriguing premise that is not as sci-fi as it may initially appear. With okcupid match percentages and other forms of rating and quantifying romance, are we really that far off from our own transdermal love timers? Some reviewers criticized TiMER's plot holes and unconvincing character development, particularly in light of the unexpected and unsatisfactory ending. But really, what kind of ending did you expect? For a film that critiques the impact of technology on human agency --which extends to larger discourses regarding fate and predestination -- I found the ending to be appropriately bleak. It seems to be that Oona and Dan are trying to convince themselves that the timer is accurate...trying to reason their way into falling in love because the odds are on their side.(And by the way, I do not buy Oona's "independent woman" routine of superficial empowerment at all). If we see the ending as Oona and Dan's way of slowly fulfilling the timer's prophecy, then paradoxically they are using their new-found agency (i.e. ignoring the timer) to get closer to each other --whether by coincidence or "fate." This might be intended to make viewers question the other timer matches in the film; is love just something that you fall into because a higher power --in this case, biotechnology -- compels you to? This puts into question other ordinances of predestination and our compulsion (whether it's peer pressure, a desire for a higher purpose, etc) to put blind faith into them. TiMER is not a cinematic masterpiece, nor is it striving to be. Regardless, it really made me reflect on notions of human agency, biotechnology, fate and predestination the way any impactful film should.

I don't think I have seen a movie so thoroughly fail the Bechdel test. The women in this movie would simply vanish from existence without a man to define their lives by. Plus, as other reviewers have said, the ending is a bit of a let down. If the point of this movie was to tell us how spontaneity and romance should be stamped out and destroyed, then message received. What I will say about the ending though is that it was a bit of a surprise. I thought they would play up the irony of how Oona would get rid of her timer just as her spontaneous boyfriend got his and decided to settle down a bit. The switch was a pleasant twist. Despite this, the movie is well shot and looks beautiful and it was delightful to see Emma Caulfield again. I wish she would work more. I wish there was more of the old man in the nursing home. He was a hoot.

This romantic comedy is set in the near future where technology has advanced considerably. Nothing unexpected there. Supposedly an implant can be attached to a person's body that will count down to the time when the wearer meets their true love.Oona O'Leary is approaching thirty, and her timer has not started its countdown yet. Social convention suggests that couples get together if their counters mark each other. What can Oona do in this situation?In the opening, Oona and Brian meet with Matchmaker Patty after several dates. Brian is from Oklahoma, and has never had a timer. Brian's implant starts showing between two and three years to go. Oona's timer does not start. She's been down this road before. The couple breaks up immediately. As Oona leaves, Matchmaker Patty describes her as a repeat customer.The film has a number of amusing commercials plugging the product. While daydreaming in the checkout line at a store, Oona tunes back in to hear Mikey (checkout person, by day, otherwise a musician) talking to her. Oona's interest is piqued. Oona and half-sister Steph DePaul visit mother Marion DePaul (remarried) for half-brother Jesse's timer install ceremony. They meet the new housekeeper Luz, who speaks next to no English. Jesse gets a target date immediately: in three days plus change. Oona in non-plussed. Steph meets Dan at her first job at the retirement home.Marion advises Oona and Steph how lucky they are. Thanks to the timers, they will miss out on divorce, unrequited love, missed opportunities (not meeting the right one), and STDs. Further, they were so lucky that she broke up with Oona's father and found Paul, and that Paul broke up with Steph's mother. Being happy about two breakups is a bit much, and the overall picture is ridiculously rosy. Do the timers ever fail? Also, how could Marion be so incredibly verbally abusive to her natural daughter? I'm surprised Oona did not hit her upside the head.By this point, about 40 minutes in, the film is almost done exposing ideas. Will Oona get anywhere with Mikey? Will Dan be Steph's match? Will the film illuminate possible variations? Will we meet Oona's father? Will he have any wisdom to impart? ------Scores-------Cinematography: 10/10 No problems.Sound: 10/10 No problems.Acting: 6/10 Emma Caulfield, JoBeth Williams, Tom Irwin, Desmond Harrington, and Muse Watson were fine. The other actors were next to forgettable. I don't remember seeing their work before, and I hope to never see them again.Screenplay: 4/10 A nice 20 minute short stretched to 99. There were zero belly laughs, zero chuckles, zero wry smiles. The film fails as a comedy. Where was the romance? One's significant other is chosen for you by factors you cannot control. What are the non-matches supposed to do? The setup is just an excuse for further discrimination against the unlucky. The film fails in the romantic department. SciFi? It did have one idea. Unfortunately, it was a ridiculous one.

I can't communicate how much I love this movie. Definitely a film for indie, sci/fi, romance lovers. Its almost like reading a short novel - on the surface its still enjoyable, but it has so much irony, symbolism, and subtlety to it that it seems to still have something in it every time you watch it. Like many other reviewers have said, it is very thought-provoking. To be honest, this helped me a lot through a bad breakup. Are we really meant to have only one "soul-mate"? And how much is it supposed to hurt when we end it with someone that doesn't turn out to be "the one"? On top of all the emotional questions it brings up, this movie is honest, well acted, clever, funny, and quirky. It might not be for everyone or every situation (first date-wise, probably a snore) but its well-worth it for anyone with an appreciation for quirkiness and deeper- meanings. Well done! PS. So...anyone else notice how identical the TiMER store is to the Apple store?