Review - In Time

At first glance in Time appears with slight comparisons of Michael Bay's The Island but under the surface is a much different film.

With a unique take on life In Time places us in the future, 2161 to be specific, where the world has changed vastly, with nobody ageing beyond 25 physically and time now the universal currency. With the price of living costing more and more by the day, life is difficult for the working class and amongst those is Will Salas (Timberlake), a factory worker who lives with his mother (Olivia Wilde) attempting to cope day-by-day to survive. 


With their life clocks at a maximum of a day at a time, life is a struggle with the threat of death looming constantly. When his mother runs out of time and dies in his arms, Will decides that action must be taken against those who govern the time supplied to the masses. After meeting a stranger in a bar who gifts him with with over a century of time Will finds himself a wanted man and heads towards a different district where he aims to take down those responsible for the time handling. 


After meeting the 90-year old millionaire Phillipe Weis and his daughter Sylvia (Amanda Seyfried) Will is caught by timekeeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy) and questioned as to how he acquired so much time. Escaping custody and taking Sylvia with him, Will embarks on a journey to overcome the might of the timekeepers and restore the world to normal living.  


In Time is a film shrouded in mediocrity from beginning to end. Despite a pretty solid performance from Timberlake the events that are unfold to not help him. Every chase scene we witness offers little threat to our main characters and at points the film does not know whether it wants to be either an action thriller or simply a film with a message about the state of the global economy.

The film will make the viewer feel slightly redundant following its trailer which suggests a reasonable amount of high octane action chase sequences.  In truth these are short-lived and in most cases dreadfully dull and predictable. Despite a story that is both unique and thought-provoking, the film is let down by a lack of ambition in its set pieces and Timberlake as an actor was built for better projects. Bitterly disappointing as a whole. 

Film rating: 2 out of 5 F's

Cinema Review - Friends With Benefits

Okay so the premise of Friends With Benefits isn't something new, Natalie Portman's No Strings Attached already taking the idea of friends having a non emotional sexual relationship, but the question you have to ask yourself, who's the better pairing, Portman and Kutcher or Kunis and Timberlake?

Despite the main idea being identical to No Strings Attached, FWB is very much its own movie, in the sense that it doesn't take itself too seriously and has a wonderful pairing in the form of Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis in the lead roles as Dylan and Jamie respectively. 

Dylan and Jamie are very similar, in the fact that they have both just been dumped by their partners in relationships that they both didn't particularly need. Moving on with their lives they are very much in love with their work. 

Dylan is a high flying internet genius in Los Angeles who is head-hunted for a new job at  GQ magazine in New York, and Jamie is the executive recruiter who is tasked with convincing Dylan that New York is the next step in his working life. With the persuasion tactics of Jamie, he soon takes the job and the pair strike an instant connection, leading to them become great friends. 

In the weeks to come they spend lunchtimes together, enjoy watching movies and having a general chat about their lives, how much relationships suck and how much they both miss sex. Then they both have a great idea to have sex with each other with strictly no emotions whatsoever, simple right?

You would think so, but eventually this 'arrangement' has to end and the two decide that trying out for other relationships would be for the best. When that idea falls on its head it becomes apparent that there could be a special spark between Dylan and Jamie, but with denial in their heads could this be a lost chance at happiness for the pair?

Not particularly tackling the most common relationship subject is what actually makes Friends With Benefits a thoroughly enjoyable ride, that and the fantastic chemistry between Kunis and Timberlake. Tackling some very raunchy scenes must have been very difficult but the two stars of the show that they can do it with ease and slot into their roles with such ease.

Providing a whole lot of laughs, the main twosome enjoy their pair-up and are helped along the way with a great performance from Woody Harrelson playing Dylan's gay workmate. Essentially if you're a fan of rom-coms and don't mind a bit of raunchiness thrown in then you are in safe hands with Friends With Benefits. 

Film rating (out of 5 stars): 3

The lowdown: Kunis and Timberlake work off each other with perfection and with the help of Harrelson provide plenty of laughs. A good solid rom-com with heart. Expect more of Kunis and Timberlake in lead roles.