Focused around a young couple’s love story; family dramas, British seaside and London tube settings with Bill Nighy as the head of the family – of course this has to be Richard Curtis’ latest rom-com. I was probably biased straight away with Love Actually, Notting Hill and About A Boy being my favourite films. But I didn’t expect as much from this latest film, involving the fantasy theme of time travelling. I was proved wrong.
The family of loveable, awkward, ginger Tim Lake – played by Domnhall Gleeson – and his happy go lucky, unique sister Kit-Kat are instantly likeable, with the clichéd comedy character of Uncle Desmond adding the humour. Anyone who doesn’t live in England will be given the false impression that every family lives in a huge country house in front of the Cornwall sea and spends every spare minute on the beach as a family and never has arguments. However jealous I was, I couldn’t dislike this perfect family.
After learning of his secret skill from his father, Tim sets off for life as a lawyer in London where he meets and falls in love with Mary – Rachel McAdams. Unlike most of Curtis’ love stories, there’s no trouble getting the girl this time. Following the couple as they make London their home it begins to feel like this film isn’t going anywhere, besides from the few time travel trips to fix a friends play and re-meeting Mary nothing major seems to happen.
But when babies and car crashes are involved it becomes more interesting and Tim’s time travelling doesn’t always go to plan. As he attempts to fix everyone’s lives he learns it isn’t as straight forward as he originally thought – travelling back before the birth of a child will then change the birth as they knew it. When cancer strikes the family Tim has decisions to make; does he want to keep the past accessible or look to the future?
Whilst it’s not the most action packed film, it’s an easy watch which guarantees to play with the audience’s emotions. If you’re a Richard Curtis fan or love British films you will definitely be pleased with these new characters and watching their lives unfold. From not expecting much, I left the cinema saying it was one of the best films I’ve seen in a long time.