this film had to be approached with a very open mind
pre-reading indicating a state of confusion easily attained
with concentration needed to pick up the clue-lines throughout
repeat viewings also recommended to fully embrace the full picture
time travel is at the guts of it - a 'temporal agent' is our guide
the opening scene - an unidentified person enters a building
coat and hat and carrying what appears to be a violin case
'if i put you in front of the person who ruined your life
and guaranteed no repercussions - would you kill them?'
this voiceover presented clearly as the theme of the film
another person setting a counter on what must be a bomb
interrupted, shots exchanged, a fire and a badly burnt face
then seen in a hospital fully bandaged and the boss bedside
as the bandages are removed the face of ethan hawke is revealed
next seen as a bartender and news of the fizzle bomber on tv
new york running scared as his bombs kill more and more
the age of the tv, the clothing, the music suggesting 1960s
ah - got it - the bartender is the time traveller on a mission
he engages in a conversation with john - i guess the bomber
john bets for a bottle of whiskey he has the best ever story to tell
another time shift as john is born as jane and left at an orphanage
grows up a loner, super-intelligent and a tough nut physically
a stranger enters her life, love, impregnation and a baby
but during the birth it is revealed jane has dual organs
and so becomes john - her life ruined by her lover
ok - still with it - good pacing and plot reveal so far
but then it cranks up as the violin case's use revealed
the long string of combination dials used to pick a date
embrace it and - poof - time transport happens - repeatedly
the bartender bouncing around between the 1960s and 1980s
he then interacting with jane, john, the fizzle bomber and the boss
me - very connected to this film - great concept and delivery
yes - too much analysis leads to what-the mode of thinking
but the brain is well engaged and going with the what-if
well locked in to the rapidly moving last part of the film
and revealed - jane is john is lover is bartender is bomber
the technique of repeating scenes never more effective
our perspective completely changed making them new
a quite sudden but appropriate ending and me stunned
extraordinarily good music running with the credits
looking for names/places to give some comfort
but few of those - one of those very generic films
ethan hawke and noah taylor only of any familiarity
the directors - the spierig brothers - unheard of
what a great cinema experience - quite unique
and yes - repeat viewing can only be good
...actually necessary to clear the head...
