Synopsis: Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers from his father (Bill Nighy) that he can travel back in time to moments in his life so Tim decides to use this skill to get a girlfriend.
Stan's thoughts: I really liked the first half an hour or so when Tim was getting the hang of the time travel (although don't think too much about how it all works) and refining his seduction technique over and over again but ultimately this feels like a 2 hour lesson in making the most of each day and I got a bit bored.
The characters are all standard Curtis fare - Bill Nighy pretty much playing the sort of dad you've come to expect, there's a ballsy mum, an away with the fairies uncle and family friend who is just obnoxious.
Any delight really came from the new talent and theatre spotting. Domhnall Gleeson is shaping up to be the go to actor for nice British chap in the vein of Colin Firth and perhaps Hugh Grant (and yes I know he's Irish). Then there was the fabulous Lydia Wilson as Tim's hippy and slightly bonkers sister (think Charlotte Colman-esque in Four Weddings) and the Vanessa Kirby as the vampish best friend of Tim's beau who is played by Rachel McAdams - the token American. Also bit parts for Stan fav Harry Hadden-Paton and Tom Hughes.
The Old Vic Theatre makes an appearance as does the National Theatre and the South Bank. Spent a little while also trying to work out which tube station Tim and love-interest were at.
So a great sight-seeing film but it begs the question why am I'm paying more attention to the locations and thinking about which plays I've seen the actors in and the conclusion I've come to is that it just wasn't enough of anything to add up to much. Not funny enough, not quite charming enough, a plot that was plodding and formulaic and all just a bit too sentimental.
Was really looking forward to it too.
Ratings- Stan's: 50%
- IMDB: 70%
- Metascore: 57%
- Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
- RT audience rating: 83%
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