It was an unusual choice on Sunday afternoon to watch the moderately-acclaimed The Time Traveller’s Wife. Two strong reasons for watching the film: a) Lisa Ray in a recent interview named it as one of her favourite films b) It starred the flawless Eric Bana who rarely fails to depict the role of a fallen star.
For the uninitiated, time travelling is a condition (at least in the film) in which a man involuntarily travels in the past and future, which means he may interact with his dead mother or unborn child. The drawback: You also know when you die. Henry, the protagonist, in the film, certainly knows that and is troubled largely in the second half of the movie with his inevitable death. The title only partially does justice to the film that is not entirely about the pretty wife of Henry whose first interaction with Henry is as a six year old when he appears in the meadows and befriends her. Then he meets her years after as a librarian when the little girl has grown into an attractive woman. The unlikely romance begins. Henry appears and disappears much to the girl’s amusement, and it is only after the wedding that the wife is irritated by the act of sudden disappearances and appearances. Henry does all he can to maintain sanity in the withering marriage. When he learns that his wife has scarce space in the house, he appears from future and wins her a lottery ticket of USD 5 million.
The story so goes that they have all problems that would occur in such a marriage, including the possibility of a child having the same genetic anomaly. All ends well, when all them, including the child, make friends with the situation and condition.
The Time Traveller’s Wife is a heart-warming film. It’s an odd romantic film something like The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button where the female lover undergoes the pain of seeing her lover grow into a child. The film’s treatment is fantastic, as the audience for once believe that such anomaly really exists. You feel for the characters helplessly, much like they happily and helplessly seek comfort. It’s a story that depicts an in-between situation. You don’t have someone with you neither you have lost him. The Time Traveller’s Wife, though was an average grosser at the box office, has mixed reviews from the critics. I’d say watch it. And if this inspires you, it’s produced by Brad Pitt!