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.

Every romantic comedy could use a little injection of the originality of "TiMER." By far the most interesting love stories come from independent filmmakers these days and Jac Schaeffer's debut is another shining example. Sure, science-fiction concepts and love stories aren't exactly bread and butter, but "TiMER" opens up infinite possibilities for discussion about what true love really is while remaining lively, entertaining and sharply written.

The film revolves around a concept that's simple enough: what if you could find out the day you were to meet your soul mate just by having a timer installed on your wrist? If scientific implausibility bothers you, skip "TiMER," because the film operates on this assumption entirely. Former "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" actress Emma Caulfield stars as Oona, a woman on the verge of 30 but whose timer is useless because as it turns out, her supposed soul mate doesn't have one. Although her story is the main thread, there are numerous subplots that explore the various possibilities of the implications of such a device.

The greater question at hand then becomes "what if love lost all its predictability?" How would we choose to live our lives? Oona is a successful orthodontist who desperately wants to know who "the one" is. She's taken numerous guys she has met to get timers installed to see if they're him, but to no avail. Her frustration and the influence of her promiscuous stepsister Steph (Michelle Borth) whose timer won't go off until she's over 40 lead her to a fling with a younger guy named Mikey (John Patrick Amedori) whose timer has about four months left on it.

Much of the earlier drama is regarding the question of whether two people who have proof that they aren't meant for each other should become involved. This situation and many other hypotheticals that arise in the film are tough; we barely understand love as it exists in reality, so how can one expect Schaeffer to capture a totally made-up version of it? Even if there are some gaps, Schaeffer's clearly thought through all the possibilities of what relationship drama (that's also between family and friends) would look like in this society and it shows. Credit also belongs to Caulfield, who's forced to embody this "hypothetical" struggle internally and instantly jives with our sympathies.

Schaeffer's also a heck of a writer. Some studio would be wise to swoop her up to write romantic comedies (in part because she's a woman and there aren't enough of them writing rom-coms). There wasn't an ounce of dialogue that felt cliché, no jokes that didn't feel organic to the characters making them (namely Borth, who's excellent) or the situations they came from.

That brings us to the ending. I have to pity any writer who has to resolve a romantic comedy, especially one that challenges our perceptions as much as "TiMER." The need for a satisfying ending is more powerful with romance than any other genre and Schaeffer already has to be poignant because this is a high-concept film. She does well. It's a bit rough and she could make a better case for her decision, but at least we can take solace in the fact that it's not a giant cliché waiting to crack on our head. That, and the rest of the film (especially the themes and raised questions) was pretty darn good.

~Steven C

Visit my site at http://moviemusereviews.com

I picked this film on Netflix not knowing what it was about. Then I got introduced from the opening scenes to a very interesting concept and was drawn in by an original idea. I don't know if this was done in any other film, but it is the first time that I have seen it in a movie. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The original concept was refreshing and the main character was a lovable girl who was looking for love like many of us. (By the way, for those who didn't remember, she was on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played Xander's fiancée). Her situation (minus the obvious thing that we don't have access to, at least right now) is quite believable as I know many people in her predicament, searching for someone to love and to spend the rest of their lives with. It is a romantic, dramatic and funny movie that sits well with me and is quite enjoyable to watch.

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.

I went into "TiMER" mainly drawn into the premise, somewhat expecting the film to not live up to what I thought was a brilliant and fascinating concept. But it ended up exceeding my expectations, and I am now completely enamored by this film.

"TiMER" is as close as a film is going to get to being this year's "(500) Days of Summer," in that it's a romantic comedy, but an unconventional one, and one that really comes out and says something (or at least proposes a question or two) about love instead of being two hours of cheesy chick-flick fluff. It's thought-provoking and will give you plenty to discuss with a friend after seeing it, and at the same time it's very enjoyable and entertaining. It's full of truly laugh-out-loud and slightly quirky humor, and it has a couple good twists I didn't see coming.

One other thing I loved about "TiMER" is the characters. Many romantic comedies have the one-dimensional supporting characters who are just there for the sake of filling the role of "main character's bff," etc. But all of the supporting characters in "TiMER" were multi- dimensional and distinctive, and they all had their own stories that I became invested in without detracting from the main focus of Oona's story.

Whether you're looking for the next romantic comedy that strays a bit from the prescribed path, or you're looking to answer the "what if?" this film proposes, or you're just looking for a quality independent film of any sort, "TiMER" will be well worth your time.