I once saw this classified ad in the street press and thought a local had made it up. Its allure comes from its mixture of nuttiness and everyday banality – time travel and this mysterious time-traveller (“I have only done this once before”) could be real, and happening near us.
In this feelgood romantic dramedy, cocky Seattle magazine reporter Jeff (Jake Johnson) takes two interns, geeky Arnau (Karan Soni) and depressive Darius (Aubrey Plaza), to a seaside town to find the guy behind the ad. Turns out it’s local misfit Kenneth (Mark Duplass). He instantly sniffs out Jeff as a phony, but recognises Darius as a kindred spirit. Soon, she’s caught between her undercover assignment – and its disquieting discoveries about Kenneth’s past – and her growing belief in him and his mission.
Despite its broadly comedic premise, there’s little irony here. The film wistfully examines nostalgia, letting its characters find their own consolations for the cruelties of time. And its beautifully sincere, natural performances save it from being twee. The deadpan Plaza and the awkward Duplass are great together. Time-travel movies are self-evidently fantasies; but this film is more moving for staying firmly anchored in the everyday world.
WIN
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brisbane.win@thethousands.com.au with the subject ‘My calibrations are flippin’ pinpoint’
Australian Competitions Club
