Spoilers ahead for about time.
About timeOne of my favorite rom-coms stars Domhnall Gleeson as Tim Lake, a young man who learns on his 21st birthday that the people in his family have time-travel powers. Learning to use his newfound abilities, Tim decides to use this power to work on his awkward love life, trying to help others in the process. Gleeson delivers a performance that is incredibly endearing and honestMaking the character feel more realistic compared to the male leads in other popular rom-coms and romantic dramas.
In the decade-plus since the release of about time Domhnall Gleeson mainly appeared in the Star Wars franchise and the Academy Award-winning period films Brooklyn And The Revenant. His long filmography spans mostly period dramas and sci-fi, and His moving performance in About time is proof that the actor needs more romantic leading roles. Beyond the romance at the heart of the film, there’s also a touching father-son dynamic between Tim and his father, James (played by Bill Nighy).
Domhnall Gleeson plays a charming leading man in About Time
Even with its fantasy elements, About Time feels emotionally honest
The role of the leading man in the rom-com is sometimes misconstrued as being charismatic or tough. This is why a more “awkward” romantic lead sometimes feels all the more captivating, as was the case with Matthew MacFadyen’s role in 2005. Pride and Prejudice. in about time Gleeson’s character Tim’s bumbling nature provides a sense of emotional honesty that creates excellent chemistry with Rachel McAdams’ character MaryHis love interest in the film. Their dialogue and banter are so powerful that when the characters meet in a pitch-dark restaurant, I can feel the tension.
Gleeson’s performance as Tim, along with the film’s fantastic element of time travel, made me relate to the film very strongly. The movie brings up the point that if someone could time travel and help their loved ones or take back misconstrued words, they would probably jump at the chance. The everyman quality of Gleeson’s Tim still leading an extraordinary life is what makes the performance so memorable.
Even with Tim’s time traveling in attempts to be the perfect boyfriend and eventual husband to Mary, their love story hinges on her love for his many quirks. The central love story, added to Tim’s strong bond with his father, James, offers a refreshing portrayal of emotionally vulnerable masculinity. While Gleeson’s many other roles in acclaimed films are noteworthy, His performance in About time too Often flies under the radar.
Why Time Is Unique (and Emotionally Devastating)
From time travel to dramedy
About time is unique in its blend of comedy and drama, all set against the backdrop of time travel. Time travel features prominently in the popular media, with the focus of the storylines typically being on the potential to change the course of major historical events. in about time Tim just time travels to make his life and his family’s life a little easier. However, there are consequences once he and Mary start having children.
When James is diagnosed with cancer and Tim wants him to go back in time to change his smoking habit, James reveals that he can’t because it would prevent him from meeting Tim’s mother Mary Lake (played by Lindsey Duncan), so stop Tim of existing. . He learns the hard way when he tries to travel to help his sister Kit Kat (played by Lydia Wilson) and returns home to find that he no longer has his daughter Posy, but a son instead.
About Time’s unique time travel plot leads to a bittersweet ending that makes this drama a rare gem in the rom-com genre.
After Tim accepts that, despite his abilities, time stops for no one, he is faced with the devastating loss of his father. Tim continues to travel back in time to see his father for advice, but when his wife Mary becomes pregnant with their third child, he realizes that he finally needs to say goodbye to his father to preserve the fabric of time for his family. About timeThe unique time travel plot leads to a bittersweet ending that makes this drama a rare gem in the rom-com genre.
Domhnall Gleeson needs to return to Rom comms
The romance genre needs Domhnall Gleeson in a leading role again
About time Writer and director Richard Curtis also famously wrote notting hill, Four weddings and a funeralAnd Bridget Jones’s Diary, all Of which are classics of the genre. However, rom-coms that are critically and financially successful are not easy to find. For example, Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’s Anyone but you Was a box office success but sits with a 55% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
In an era where many rom-coms strive for viral moments and star power, the genre is arguably lacking films in which relationships are the true heart of the story. About time is about familial, platonic and romantic relationships, and how time has the power to heal or destroy everything. Gleeson’s performance in the film is why it is so emotionally moving over a decade after its release, and The film alone is reason enough for Gleeson to return to the romance genre.