The Time Traveler’s Wife

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams) – I am torn between calling The Time Traveler’s Wife a tear-jerker of the first order or a classic time-travel chick flick.  To do either, however, would be to over-stereotype this well-acted film.  Based on the 2003 debut novel by American author Audrey Niffenegger, the movie creates real emotion as it slowly reels in the viewer.  Henry DeTamble is blessed or cursed, depending on how you look it, by being able to travel through time, albeit to the same locations.  But he has no control over when he goes and returns.  Time travel movies are a common genre, some done well; others not so well.  The latter is typified by The Lakehouse with the vehicle being a mailbox.  A better one in recent years might have been Star Trek: Generations, bridging the new and old captains of The Enterprise.  The best is, arguably, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button even if he travels through time backwards.  The Time Traveler’s Wife opens with the death of a young mother while her son, Henry, is mystically transported out of the doomed automobile to another time where is met by an older “him.”  Subsequently, we see Henry in a library where he is recognized by a young woman, who introduces herself as Claire.  Claire tells him they were destined to meet at this place at this time just as he had told her many years before when she was even younger.  Confused, he is then regaled with the story, finally realizing who he is after all these years of frequent and unannounced time travel.  The story then moves forward and back in time to the point of almost annoyance but always with a sense of purpose and emotion.  We see Henry and Claire’s relationship bud and mature.  They marry and attempt to have children.  But will any children have the same mutation, syndrome, or condition (called chrono-impairment)?  This is merely one of the dilemmas of the story.  And there are contradictions as well, but after all, this is a fantasy.  To ask lots of questions here gives away too much of the plot so I won’t.  The key as a viewer is to go with the flow, letting the film engulf you and suck you in.  I did enjoy the film as everyone in the audience cried and sighed at all the right places.  Eric Bana, who is 40,  and Rachel McAdams, who is 30, are two of today’s fine young actors, and they are beautiful as always and don’t let this film get too over-the-top.  If you’re up for a fantasty tear jerker, this is one of the best in quite awhile.