TiMER

Normally I tend to avoid writing reviews where all that needed to be said has already been said, unless it's a film I feel very attached to. But TiMER is one of those little surprising experiences that really deserve a few words of praise. It's difficult enough bringing forth something original and well written even when it isn't a rom-com.

With an interesting premise - that people can get timers telling them when they will meet their soul mate - the story follows Oona and her sister Steph, who are both nearing their thirties and have yet to find their other halves. Oona, who is to all extents and purposes the main character, goes through a series of lackluster attempts at finding someone who suits her, but the emphasis really is on how her mentality and approach are affected by the awareness that there is a path that needs to be found. When she becomes involved with a young guy, for the sake of it more than anything else, the whole debate around predestination gets a fair questioning in a balanced manner.

It's great to see nicely rounded characters who form a believable and not overly sugarcoated unit and the writing aids the actors tremendously in bringing forth this tale of love, family and family love. The film may have some weaker points, but I reckon its conviction, so to say, pays off in the end. Credit is due to the whole cast and crew for managing a fine idea into something that finds its balance early on and is capable of holding on to it until the end. The satisfaction is only greater when it comes as unexpectedly as this little obscure picture.

While the above review would say that this movie was somewhat inspiring, I would tend to disagree. Timer is a movie which promises to challenge the stereotype of one person for everyone, but in the end re-enforces it. There really isn't one person for everyone, and I was hoping that the movie would relate this to the audience, but the ending was flat and awful.

The main character falls for a complete stranger after having a wonderful time with a perfectly wonderful younger man. (nope, not buying it). What this says and tries to re-enforce to us as an audience is that we should all date our own age, and anything other isn't the right person for us.

Examples Her father has a timer but it isn't synced with the woman he's living with (much younger than him) Her mother and step-father both have timers and they are the same age.

She is 30 and her love interest is 22, the timer doesn't think they should be together.

She and her sister's love interest both have timers that sync and they are roughly the same age.

Their younger brother is 14 and his timer goes off seeing another 14 year old girl.

I was, for the most part, completely into this movie before the ending. It was well acted and had some great ideas. But, it turns out there is no enlightenment at all, just the same old society influenced bullshit, one person for you, the same age as you, and there's no one else for you.

Bottom line, this movie is just a huge let down. Maybe it was my fault for wanting it to be deeper and have a more meaningful ending. But no, it's just the same old crap you've seen before.

Don't waste your time with this one, it's a huge let down.

TiMER (2009)

A really fabulous, tightly written, tightly focused movie. It has a smart, sci-fi hook: people can wear a "timer" that predicts when they will meet their true love. This becomes the device around which the really charming, lovable characters play with the idea of true love, and love, and relationship, and the predictability (or not) of all of that. And it is done without a shred of darkness--I mean, it's an upbeat, rose-colored view of this oddly painted future. There's a hint of Juno in the tone, and maybe Sex and the City in the sorting out of relationships by the two main women.

The production, or feel, of things isn't as low budget as you might think given its low budget, but it is filmed with a modern television kind of flatness, or brightness. For all the Big Brother eeriness to it all, the world of these two half sisters and their prospective boyfriends is downright happy. Even the old folks home is a comic paradise, more or less.

What really makes the picture work are the two leading women, who play their upbeat diffidence and sarcasm with wide eyes and cute smiles. Their fast comebacks are razor sharp but never quite slashing. Equal to them but in a smaller role is their chipper mother, a paradigm of American good will wearing blinders. And the one boyfriend, the cute (of course) guy who plays in a band, happily immature, is also spot on. So, with a cast like this of complete unknowns playing their hearts out with delicacy and fearlessness, following a quirky and impossible futuristic notion, you can't help but kick back and laugh.

In a near future, many people wear a timer implanted in their wrists by matchmakers to find their soul mates and true love. The twenty-nine year-old orthodontist Oona O'Leary (Emma Caulfield) is worried about her future since she cannot find her true love. When she meets the twenty- two year old supermarket cashier and musician Mikey Evers (John Patrick Amedori), his timer shows that they will be together in four months and she falls for him.

Oona lives with her stepsister and best friend Steph Depaul (Michelle Borth) that works as receptionist in a nursing home. When Steph meets the widow Dan (Desmond Harrington) that does not wear a timer, they start seeing each other. Meanwhile Oona finds that Mikey's timer is fake and she is affected by her discovery. The birthday of Oona and Steph is on the same day and their mother Marion Depaul (JoBeth Williams) invites Mikey and Dan to the party. On the eve, Oona and Steph decide to remove the timer, but when Oona is ready to take it of, the timer is activated by someone who has just implanted it. Who could be her soul mate?

"TiMER" is a charming romantic comedy with a different but silly concept, but also flawed with an awful conclusion. The idea would be acceptable in a future or a near future, but even Oona's father had implanted a timer when she was born meaning thirty years ago. The perfect message would be with Oona daring to love Mikey free of her mother's oppression for using the timer and Steph and Dan together. Further, there are several questions raised along the story without answer. For example, has Oone reconciled with her father? Did he like Mikey's CD? What has happened to Steph and how would be her relationship with Oona if she stays with Dan? My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Timer – Contagem Regressiva para o Amor" ("Timer- Countdown to Love)

Finally our clocks have counted down and we have Jac Schaeffer in our lives. Schaeffer has brilliantly written "TiMER" and brought a fantastic romantic comedy into the world.

Sure, all romantic comedies follow the same trend, cute girl wants to meet her soul mate. The poor ones do it with horrible main characters and ridiculously unfunny contrived situations. The somewhat better ones, which we have been forced to accept as good, add comedy and likable characters. But now, we have "TiMER".

This film gives us a couple of characters, all of them are very funny and relatable. And it also adds ingenuity, with an original technological timer to count down to the arrival of our soul mate, and intelligence and even mixes in philosophy. "TiMER" can be enjoyed by everyone, the humour is sweet and appropriate for every age, and for every "thinker" out there, there's a lot for you to over-analyze, and for everyone who doesn't want to think there's enough to enjoy on its surface.

I have said a lot of good things about "TiMER" here and deservedly so because this is a well written romantic comedy (apparently they really do exist!). This film won't climb the ranks into my all time favourite movies because it doesn't evoke too many emotions, but it definitely deserves to be seen and talked about.