Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake M. Joseph, Karan Soni, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Kristen Rice, Jeff Garlin
Director: Colin Trevorrow
Initial Release Date: 01/22/12 [Sundance Film Festival] & 06/08/12 [Limited: USA]
Running Time: 86 Minutes
A fun
and heart warming comedy about love is set to the backdrop of a cool small
coastal town in America's Pacific Northwest. But, unlike all love stories this
one has a very special twist, which some would even call - Scientifically
fictional.
A journalist, two magazine interns, and a brilliantly clouded mind are the characters in this tale of love, heartbreak, discovery, and time travel. In a magazine publication based in Seattle, WA, is having staff meeting. In the prospect of finding new pieces to put in their next publication, Jeff Schwensen (Johnson), a senior writer at the magazine volunteers to write about this wanted ad he was emailed, by a fan. the wanted ad reads:
"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. Safety not guaranteed."
The editor-in-chief, Bridget (Rajskub), approves on the topic, and Jeff chooses two inters to accompany him to do some research on who wrote the ad. Darius (Plaza) & Arnau (Soni), are the chosen interns who accompany him to the small fishing town of Ocean Shore, which is a few hours away from Seattle. As soon as they reach their motel, in town, they plan how they approach the ad's mysterious author. Immediately, they track him down by staking him out. The film's female lead, Darius, finds out that the owner of the ad is named, Kenneth Calloway (Duplass), a man in his mid-30s with a interesting fixation in quantum physics, and works at the local super market.
She regroups with her workmates and do further research as to where he lives, so they could their plans as to how they should approach Kenneth in answering his ad, without giving him the spooks. The next morning, they venture to his home, which turns out to be a run down raggedy old house in the woods that was left to Kenneth, when his parents passed away. Jeff takes the moment to be the first person to interact with Kenneth, but the wary homeowner sees through Jeff's insincerity, and feels alienated by the journalist. Rethinking his strategy with the group, he sends Darius to “seduce” with Kenneth into thinking that she is interested in joining his timer travelling excursion. She visits him at work, that very evening, and he sees her geeky awkwardly quirky church, which doesn't come too hostile to him. He accepts her as his time traveling partner and the adventure begins to gain momentum.
What the interns didn’t know was that their project leader actually chose to do the assignment, because it was where he had his first memorable romantic relationship, during his summers spent there as a teenager. The interns decipher his ulterior motives, when Jeff and Arnau are at the local pub, searching for the girl on Facebook. When you analyze the film, the only time traveling in the film is showcased through Jeff's character perspective. He ventures off to a place of his youth, trying to find some lost emotion & closure, but then it all collapses in front of him. The downward spiraling leads to a deterioration of his present. If only he knew that rekindling a nostalgic romance is never really guaranteed with a single grain of safety.
A journalist, two magazine interns, and a brilliantly clouded mind are the characters in this tale of love, heartbreak, discovery, and time travel. In a magazine publication based in Seattle, WA, is having staff meeting. In the prospect of finding new pieces to put in their next publication, Jeff Schwensen (Johnson), a senior writer at the magazine volunteers to write about this wanted ad he was emailed, by a fan. the wanted ad reads:
"Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You'll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. Safety not guaranteed."
The editor-in-chief, Bridget (Rajskub), approves on the topic, and Jeff chooses two inters to accompany him to do some research on who wrote the ad. Darius (Plaza) & Arnau (Soni), are the chosen interns who accompany him to the small fishing town of Ocean Shore, which is a few hours away from Seattle. As soon as they reach their motel, in town, they plan how they approach the ad's mysterious author. Immediately, they track him down by staking him out. The film's female lead, Darius, finds out that the owner of the ad is named, Kenneth Calloway (Duplass), a man in his mid-30s with a interesting fixation in quantum physics, and works at the local super market.
She regroups with her workmates and do further research as to where he lives, so they could their plans as to how they should approach Kenneth in answering his ad, without giving him the spooks. The next morning, they venture to his home, which turns out to be a run down raggedy old house in the woods that was left to Kenneth, when his parents passed away. Jeff takes the moment to be the first person to interact with Kenneth, but the wary homeowner sees through Jeff's insincerity, and feels alienated by the journalist. Rethinking his strategy with the group, he sends Darius to “seduce” with Kenneth into thinking that she is interested in joining his timer travelling excursion. She visits him at work, that very evening, and he sees her geeky awkwardly quirky church, which doesn't come too hostile to him. He accepts her as his time traveling partner and the adventure begins to gain momentum.
What the interns didn’t know was that their project leader actually chose to do the assignment, because it was where he had his first memorable romantic relationship, during his summers spent there as a teenager. The interns decipher his ulterior motives, when Jeff and Arnau are at the local pub, searching for the girl on Facebook. When you analyze the film, the only time traveling in the film is showcased through Jeff's character perspective. He ventures off to a place of his youth, trying to find some lost emotion & closure, but then it all collapses in front of him. The downward spiraling leads to a deterioration of his present. If only he knew that rekindling a nostalgic romance is never really guaranteed with a single grain of safety.
The
film is an entity of it’s own. The dialogues aren’t extensive, but the
characters are so in-depth and have dimensions that cause you to strongly invest
in their every movement, you wouldn’t care about the lack of extensive talking
parts. Mark Duplass’ portrayal of a pseudo-scientist who borders the limits of
awkward sincerity and strong belief in one’s self. It’s like Dr. Emmett Brown
paired up with Dale Doback and Brennan Hoback, in one charmingly disillusioned
individual. Duplass has definitely showcases how he sheds the shell of him, always playing the character who is stern, mature, or socially apt. Darius Britt is just like the actress playing her, Aubrey Plaza. Quirky in
her own respect, which gets you ardently endowed by her performance. Jeff is your
typical journalist, with narcissistic behavior, which is also variegated
through his pessimism & insecurity. The rut of the litter, Arnau, was my favorite. Embodying your typical nerdy Indian-American who perfectly fits the stereotypical
category of the uber-studious Asian college kid in the Western world.
The
complimenting of each relationship in the story, really gave the film an
outstanding appeal. The strange bro-ish
tandem of Arnau and Jeff is very noteworthy. They humorously joust off of each
other’s personality. Jeff’s happy-go-lucky demeanor is contrasted to Arnau’s
frail frame & gangly persona. Obviously Jeff gets the upper hand due to his
seniority, and easy ability to overpower Arnau, but he does it with heart. He
tries to help the kid, get the best out of his youth, and not squander over
just education, and his evident love for his “super fast gaming laptop.”
Mark
Duplass and his brother, Jay, team up with the producers of the 2006 indie film
hit, Little Miss Sunshine, in
creating this delightfully palatable tale. Director, Colin Trevorrow, utilizes the most
intriguing aspects of the film’s characters, and emulating them to the point of
believability. Even the cardboard flatness of the black suited government
agents following Kenneth, had a more depth than most characters, in their role.
Though
the film may not answer questions of whether the possibility of keeping the relinked flame
of a juvenile amorousness for a long period of time, or further the human understanding of time travel. It still manages to serve its purpose as a fascinating look into man's fragile psyche, and its never-ending social paradoxes. Formulating
a quaint and intimate atmosphere, you will surely be enchanted by its lovably
complex simplicity.
Verdict: A Must See!
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