Released on October 28th, the film In Time takes the old adage “time is money” to very literal terms. The story is set in a dystopian future where time is actually the currency. The population can only age to 25 years old and, after that, they must acquire time through work or other means to stay alive (while using the same time to spend on things). Theoretically, the rich can live forever if they can acquire enough time while the poor can die simply by trying to pay for necessities.
Needless to say, the concept was intriguing, but the film itself leaves a lot to be desired. The lead character, Will Salas, is played by NSYNC alumni Justin Timberlake, whose talents are better suited for the stage rather than the screen. But, visually, the film is pretty impressive. The opulence of the rich population’s town of New Greenwich stand out in stark contrast to the vast poverty of the ghettos where most live.
Also, for those concerned about appearance, the film provides a fair amount of eye candy for its viewers. Olivia Wilde and Amanda Seyfried play Will Salas’s mother and love interest respectively while Alex Pettyfer steals scenes as a British mobster on Salas’ trail.
In Time looks quite pretty and enticing on the outside, but inwardly doesn’t deliver on the expectations it raised.