Review for the movie: TiMER
Title: TiMER
Year: 2009
Motion Picture Rating: R
Format: Movie Viewed on Netflix Instant
Rowena's Rating: *** 1/2
TiMER is an entertaining indie film about relationships, with a sci-fi twist. Twenty-nine year old Oona (Emma Caulfield) lives in a slightly futuristic world that's almost like our own, except that most people have what's called a TiMER implanted on their wrist. The TiMER tells them the exact moment when they will meet their soulmate. Poor Ooona's TiMER is blank, meaning either her soulmate doesn't have a TiMER yet, hasn't been born, or doesn't exist.
Oona deals with this issue by dating one TiMER-less guy after another, convincing each one she has even the slightest connection with, to get his own TiMER. That strategy leaves her with a string of men who find out she isn't their soulmate. Her best friend (and stepsister) Steph, whose TiMER setting is far in the future, decides that the key to happiness is blissfully wasting away her time on one-night stands and go-nowhere jobs. Steph convinces Oona to try her own fling with a cute younger guy.
This charming movie isn't your typical romantic comedy. While most romantic comedies seem to be told from a pretty sexist point of view, this story is far more respectful of both women and men as people, not stereotypes. It's fun to see Ooona's fling with adorable, amiable Mikey (played by John Patrick Amedori). The movie empathizes with all the characters (women and men) and makes some interesting points about relationships. I also liked that the end isn't neatly tied up in a big bow with an easy, happy ending. Instead, you the viewer are given more say in deciding what happens after the film ends.
Casting Trivia
I tend to watch online movies with the IMDb website opened in another window since I go crazy trying to place actors who look familiar to me. Here's a list of where you might have seen these TiMER actors:
Emma Caulfield (Oona) - She played ex-demon Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Emma Bradshow on Life Unxpected.
Michelle Borth (Steph)- She's on the new Hawaii-Five-0 as Catherine Rollins, but I recognized her from her one episode in Supernatural where she played Dean's instant girlfriend Carmen (a girl from a beer ad) during Dean's djinn-fueled wish-fulfillment dream.
John Patrick Amedori (Mikey) - has had some bit roles in movies like Scott Pilgrim and played Aaron Rose in Gossip Girl.
Kali Rocha (Matchmaker Patty) - She played Dr. Sydney Heron on Grey's Anatomy, but I knew where from her role as Halfrek -- Anya's demon friend -- on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
JoBeth Williams (Oona's mom) - She's been in a bunch of things. Most recently she's played Gail Brandon on Dexter, but I most remember her from her roles in the movies The Big Chill and Poltergeist.
Year: 2009
Motion Picture Rating: R
Format: Movie Viewed on Netflix Instant
Rowena's Rating: *** 1/2
TiMER is an entertaining indie film about relationships, with a sci-fi twist. Twenty-nine year old Oona (Emma Caulfield) lives in a slightly futuristic world that's almost like our own, except that most people have what's called a TiMER implanted on their wrist. The TiMER tells them the exact moment when they will meet their soulmate. Poor Ooona's TiMER is blank, meaning either her soulmate doesn't have a TiMER yet, hasn't been born, or doesn't exist.
Oona deals with this issue by dating one TiMER-less guy after another, convincing each one she has even the slightest connection with, to get his own TiMER. That strategy leaves her with a string of men who find out she isn't their soulmate. Her best friend (and stepsister) Steph, whose TiMER setting is far in the future, decides that the key to happiness is blissfully wasting away her time on one-night stands and go-nowhere jobs. Steph convinces Oona to try her own fling with a cute younger guy.
This charming movie isn't your typical romantic comedy. While most romantic comedies seem to be told from a pretty sexist point of view, this story is far more respectful of both women and men as people, not stereotypes. It's fun to see Ooona's fling with adorable, amiable Mikey (played by John Patrick Amedori). The movie empathizes with all the characters (women and men) and makes some interesting points about relationships. I also liked that the end isn't neatly tied up in a big bow with an easy, happy ending. Instead, you the viewer are given more say in deciding what happens after the film ends.
Casting Trivia
I tend to watch online movies with the IMDb website opened in another window since I go crazy trying to place actors who look familiar to me. Here's a list of where you might have seen these TiMER actors:
Emma Caulfield (Oona) - She played ex-demon Anya on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Emma Bradshow on Life Unxpected.
Michelle Borth (Steph)- She's on the new Hawaii-Five-0 as Catherine Rollins, but I recognized her from her one episode in Supernatural where she played Dean's instant girlfriend Carmen (a girl from a beer ad) during Dean's djinn-fueled wish-fulfillment dream.
John Patrick Amedori (Mikey) - has had some bit roles in movies like Scott Pilgrim and played Aaron Rose in Gossip Girl.
Kali Rocha (Matchmaker Patty) - She played Dr. Sydney Heron on Grey's Anatomy, but I knew where from her role as Halfrek -- Anya's demon friend -- on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
JoBeth Williams (Oona's mom) - She's been in a bunch of things. Most recently she's played Gail Brandon on Dexter, but I most remember her from her roles in the movies The Big Chill and Poltergeist.