After his shockingly convincing performance as Sean Parker in 2010’s The Social Network, Justin Timberlake rightfully earned his stripes as a Hollywood actor, effectively silencing the critics who couldn’t seem to move past his time in N’SYNC. However, one truly memorable role didn’t necessarily justify Timberlake transitioning into a full-blown action hero, so I was understandably skeptical when I first saw the trailer for In Time. Luckily, Timberlake would be joined by a notoriously crowd-pleasing cast, which included the perpetually rising-star Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls; Red Riding Hood), the intoxicatingly beautiful Olivia Wilde (Cowboys & Aliens; The Change-Up), and the go-to icy antagonist, Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins; Red Eye; Inception), who is often and tragically undervalued. For me, the biggest selling-point for In Time involved the film’s unique premise of a dystopian future in which time is used as currency, which represented a drastic departure from anything that has hit theaters in recent memory. With promotions promising plenty of action alongside themes of civil disobedience, it looked like this newest thriller could be quite entertaining.
I wasn’t at all surprised that I enjoyed the action and characters within In Time, but I was completely shocked by the deep and profound implications put forth by the narrative. The idea of a world in which time is used as currency is brought to life with significant imagination (Texas Hold ‘em becomes far more intense), but the societal parallel of the poor being forced to struggle for survival while the rich live forever puts forth enough implications to fill several college sociology courses. As far as the acting talent present, Justin Timberlake does surprisingly well as the tough-guy (despite a few missteps), while Cillian Murphy is as intimidating as ever, but Olivia Wilde’s screen-time is tragically short and Amanda Seyfried does little more than provide eye-candy. The film may have been far better than expected, but there are still several disappointing elements present, including significant editing mistakes and incomplete plot points. Still, as a bold and energizing thriller that is sure to make audiences ponder the deeper themes behind the story, In Time is a film that should not be missed.
Overall Recommendation: High
