Justin Timberlake is a modern day renaissance man. Sit back and be amazed by his musical accomplishments, his comedic prowess and his dramatic dexterity. This is the man who brought sexy back around (and it was missed) and taught us that the ultimate gift is a penis hidden inside of a Christmas wrapped package.
Now we have the new thriller “In Time” to broaden Mr. Timberlake’s horizons even a little further and establish him as an action hero. While the film may not fully decree him as the second coming of Segal/Van Damme/Stallone, he plays the part fine and only goes on to prove that the guy can do just about anything.
It is the near-ish future and time is the most valuable commodity. Confused? It’s really pretty simple. This is because mankind is now genetically engineered to stop aging at 25. At that point they have one year left but can buy more life/time if they have the means. In other words, the rich live forever while the poor die struggling with borrowed moments. Talk about another reason to be pissed at the one-percenters.
When Will Salas (Timberlake) stumbles upon a free century, he threatens the entire system as he begins giving free time to the poor. Sorta like “Robin Hood”. He is aided by a rich heiress, Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried in a cropped red wig that makes her look like she is wearing a cropped red wig all the time) and the two go on a bank robbing spree that may just change the world. Sorta like “Bonnie and Clyde”.
Hot on their heels is a gum smacking “TimeKeeper (cop)” named Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy) who will try his damnedest to stop them. Why? I don’t know. One of the film’s major flaws is establishing motivations. Leon is just blindly chasing them down and protecting an order that really benefits no one but the special few whose catchphrase is “For a few to be immortal, many must die”. Doesn’t make much sense.
But other than that, the premise is engrossing enough to keep attention. The idea would make a great sci-fi short story and shares elements with the works of Phillip K Dick. “In Time” is written and directed by Andrew Niccol who gave us the similarly themed “Gattaca” in the late 90’s. Mr. Niccol seems to think that large corporations are going to make the future difficult for the masses and it is hard to disagree.
Seyfried and Timberlake spend most of the film running and both look good while doing it. The plot has a few twist and turns but doesn’t go anywhere extra special. The entire project merely serves as vehicle to establish Timberlake as a leading man who can carry a movie. Now, he can make a better one.