Spoilers ahead for About Time.
About Time, one of my favorite rom-coms, stars Domhnall Gleeson as Tim Lake, a young man who learns on his 21st birthday that the men 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, attempting to help others in the process.Gleeson delivers a performance that is incredibly endearing and honest, making the character feel more realistic compared to the male leads in otherpopular rom-comsand romantic dramas.
In the decade-plus since the release ofAbout Time,Domhnall Gleeson has most notably appeared in theStar Warsfranchiseand the Academy Award-winning period filmsBrooklynandThe Revenant.His lengthy filmography spans predominantly period dramas and sci-fi, andhis moving performance inAbout Timeis proof that the actor needs more romantic leading roles. Outside the romance at the heart of the film, there is 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 having to be charismatic or conceited. This is why a more “awkward” romantic lead sometimes feels all the more captivating, as was the case withMatthew MacFadyen’s role in 2005’sPride and Prejudice.InAbout Time,Gleeson’s character Tim’s bumbling nature provides a sense of emotional honesty that creates excellent chemistry with Rachel McAdams' character Mary, his love interest in the film. Their dialogue and banter are so strong that when the characters meet in a pitch-dark restaurant, I can feel the tension.
Domhnall Gleeson’s 2015 Sci-Fi Movie Was Weirdly Foreshadowed By Black Mirror 2 Years Earlier
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Gleeson’s performance as Tim, coupled with the film’s fantastical element of time travel, made me connect 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 likely jump at the chance. The every-man 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 of 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 numerous other roles in acclaimed films are noteworthy,his performance inAbout Timetoofrequently flies under the radar.
Why About Time Is Unique (& Emotionally Devastating)
From Time Travel To Dramedy
About Timeis unique in its blend of comedy and drama, all against the backdrop of time travel. Time travel features prominently in the popular media, with the focus of these storylines typically being on the potential to change the course of major historical events. InAbout Time,Tim only time travels to make his life and his family’s life a little bit easier.However, there are consequences once he and Mary begin having children.
When James is diagnosed with cancer and Tim wishes for him to go back in time to change his smoking habits, James reveals that he cannot, as this would prevent him from meeting Tim’s mother Mary Lake (played by Lindsay Duncan) therefore stopping Tim from existing. He learns this the hard way when attempting 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 into a bittersweet ending that makes this dramedy 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 maintain the fabric of time for his family.About Time’s unique time travel plotleads into a bittersweet ending that makes this dramedy a rare gem in the rom-com genre.
Domhnall Gleeson Needs To Return to Rom Coms
The Romance Genre Needs Domhnall Gleeson In A Leading Role Again
About Timewriter and director Richard Curtis also famously wroteNotting Hill,Four Weddings And A Funeral, andBridget Jones' Diary, allof which are classics of the genre. However, rom-coms that are both critically and financially successful are not easy to find. For example, Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney’sAnyone But Youwas a box office success but sits at a 55% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
In an era in which many rom-coms strive for viral moments and star power, the genre is arguably missing films in which relationships are at the true heart of the story.About Timeis 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, andthis film alone is reason enough for Gleeson to return to the romance genre.
About Time
Cast
When Tim Lake learns that he, like all the men in his family, has the ability to travel back in time, he decides to use this ability to help him find love and improve his and his loved ones' lives.
