A source of mine sent me the following e-mail after attending a test/preview screening of The Time Traveler’s Wife. Please keep in mind this isn’t a formal review. The movie is still a work in progress and may differ greatly from the final cut.
Having said that, there’s a huge bunch of people rabidly anticipating this movie and I’m near the head of the line. I read Audrey Niffenegger’s magical book when it first came out in 2003 and promptly forced it onto any and all unsuspecting victims within reach. I made my sister stay up all night on a weeknight to finish the 525-page tome and she has a job.
At any rate, what my source reports is promising:
“It’s a testament to the quality of the story and Rachel McAdams’ luminous talent that this movie is as moving as it is, considering how wooden Eric Bana is as Henry. He’s really stiff, not quite a romantic hero. Someone like Colin Firth would’ve done a much better job. At least McAdams is well-cast. She carries this movie with her longing eyes and expressive face. This woman is a Movie Star. The actresses playing 10-year-old Alba and 6-year-old Clare are also very good.
Amazingly, the complex novel has been compressed into a well-paced movie that’s only about an hour and a half. The first scene introduces Henry’s time-traveling right away without much preamble, which is good, since it grabs you instantly, even if you haven’t read the book (I have). Obviously, details have been left out but the movie covers all the important themes—free will, destiny, true love, life and death, etc. The ending, at least in this version, is different from the book but keeps the spirit of what Henry was trying to tell Clare in the novel. It’s effective and satisfying and if it doesn’t make you cry or at least put a lump in your throat, you’re a heartless jerk.”
Whoa! Who’s excited with me?! (UPDATE: Read my exclusive interview with the young actresses who play Alba here.)
IMDb still lists the release date as February 2010, but does this report help you any? Does it make the wait easier or do you wish you could travel to next February? Leave me a comment then bookmark this site ’cause I’ll keep you updated if I hear anything else, i.e. info about Niffenegger’s new novel or when the trailer comes out.
30 Comments
ShelleyP
March 10, 2009 at 5:02 amRegardless of the movie, thank you for another book to add to ‘the list’, PCN.
popculturenerd
March 10, 2009 at 10:18 amShelleyP,
I may have recommended books before but I really recommend this one with every ounce of my being. It’s one of the best I’ve ever read. It’s moving and enriching and romantic and provocative and beautifully written. If you do read it, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
EireGo
March 10, 2009 at 9:37 amVery impressive! I have read the book. Heard they were making a movie about it and I was hoping they weren’t going to screw it up like they did “Button.”
BizMan5
March 10, 2009 at 9:48 amI thought Brad Pitt bought the rights? Why is Eric Bana in the film? No surprise your guy says he’s stiff. Did you happen to see “Lucky You”? Unfreakin’watchable.
popculturenerd
March 10, 2009 at 10:30 amBizMan5,
According to IMDb, Pitt is still listed as producer. I wish he had played Henry because I don’t like Bana much, either.
ScriptPimp
March 10, 2009 at 9:51 amI will go see anything Rachel McAdams is in. She could make dog crap attractive. Can’t wait to see this film!
READER#9
March 10, 2009 at 10:22 amWhoa! I have been dying to see this movie! Really excited when I heard McAdams was going to play Clare. Please keep me updated.
popculturenerd
March 10, 2009 at 10:33 amGlad to see fellow Rachel McAdams fans here! I love her and agree she can do anything. Will definitely keep you updated, READER#9; I’m really eager to see this movie, too.
FFBUFF8
March 10, 2009 at 2:20 pmLoved, Loved, LOVED the book! Bana plays Henry? Bummer.
Okay, I got over it. If your source says the film is good though, I’m there. You haven’t steered me wrong yet, PCN.
ARB
March 10, 2009 at 2:24 pmBeen reading a lot of stuff on the internet. Some chick on imdb is all “I posted the entire review,” like she wrote it or something.
No one has a real review yet, but it seems some people saw it already.
I’m with FFBuff, I trust you, man!
Looking forward to a decent film. Everything as been so bad lately.
popculturenerd
March 10, 2009 at 2:39 pmARB,
I don’t know what’s going on with this movie or when it’s really coming out but there have been a few test screenings so some people have seen it, just not the final version. Since word seems to be good for something that’s not even done, I really can’t wait to see the finished film!
And I’m humbled by your trust.
ShelleyP
March 10, 2009 at 5:16 pmI’m as patriotic as the next Australian but I have to admit, I don’t get a good feeling from the idea of Eric Bana in a romantic hero kind of role. It does seem odd that Brad Pitt didn’t take the part himself. Imagine him on screen with Rachel McAdams. Palpitations for men and women alike.
popculturenerd
March 10, 2009 at 11:21 pmThat would’ve been quite an electric pairing, ShelleyP.
rach
March 11, 2009 at 9:26 amThank you for SOME news on the movie. The ever-moving release date had indicated that it might be a dog. Glad to hear it’s not. Would have liked to see a somewhat younger actor play Henry—but Bana’s “woodeness” in this particular roll shouldn’t be a problem. Just hate that we have to wait until February ’10. Isn’t that the month studios usually dump the bad movies or chick-flicks?
popculturenerd
March 11, 2009 at 9:58 amrach,
I agree the wait is too long and that a February release doesn’t show a lot of confidence in the movie’s box office potential. But then again, since it won’t be up against something like Iron Man 2, perhaps it’ll have a chance to do well. At the very least, we TTTW fans will just have to come out and support it no matter when it comes out. I can’t wait!
Joyce Tyler
March 11, 2009 at 2:56 pmDear popculturenerd,
A crazed poster on The Time Traveler’s Wife board over at IMDb is accusing me of having written that review, because I am an unabashed Rachel McAdams fan. Would you be so kind as to confirm in this forum that I am not the source of that review?
Thanks.
popculturenerd
March 11, 2009 at 6:22 pmDear Joyce Tyler,
I have no idea who you are, have never had any contact with you before today, and you are definitely not the source who e-mailed me those comments about The Time Traveler’s Wife. You are not even the right gender (assuming you’re female). I hope that helps clear things up for you! 🙂
By the way, I haven’t seen the IMDb TTTW board (and don’t want to now that you say there are “crazy posters” there!), but how could you possibly catch flack for being an unabashed Rachel McAdams fan? I’m right there with you!
Joyce Tyler
March 11, 2009 at 6:34 pmThank you, popculturenerd. And please come and post on The Time Traveler’s Wife board at IMDb. Things have become silly over there because Warner Bros. postponed the release date. Some people think that postponing a movie’s release automatically means that there’s something wrong with it. They can’t seem to get their heads around the notion that their can be other factors involved.
popculturenerd
March 11, 2009 at 7:11 pmJoyce,
I’m scared of those IMDb boards—they can get so ugly and mean sometimes. But you’re welcome here any time, especially if you want to discuss Rachel McAdams. If anyone gets rude, I can delete them!
I agree with you that there are many reasons why a movie could be delayed. Back when production on Titanic was running overly long and over budget, people kept saying the movie would be a disaster. But I had read the script and it made me cry so I kept saying the movie would be great. This doesn’t mean TTTW will be the next Titanic, just that sometimes we should give a delayed project the benefit of the doubt.
Joyce Tyler
March 12, 2009 at 10:35 amI know that the target audience was younger people who haven’t read the book, and that part of the problem was that, in the test screenings, these folks couldn’t follow the story’s non-linear time line, hence the reshoots and re-editing.
Some people had the same problem when they were reading the book. I imagine it was a real b*tch to adapt. But the good news is that the studio spent money on reshoots, so this problem should be able to be fixed by the unsung heroes of filmdom — the editors.
popculturenerd
March 12, 2009 at 11:34 amJoyce,
Yes, the editors are definitely unsung heroes! I’ve done some editing myself so I actually notice cuts and wipes and fades when I watch a movie. Even if you have the most talented director and DP shoot the most beautiful footage with actors doing the most incredible acting, the movie could still be a mess if you don’t have a skilled editor to splice it all together.
Regarding the non-linear storytelling, I think that’s inherent to any story involving time traveling. It’s going to be a little confusing. With the book, I just gave in to the beauty of the prose and the love story and tried not to think too much about the logic and science of Henry’s condition. I hope people will do the same for the movie.
Joyce Tyler
March 13, 2009 at 9:25 amYou’ve probably already seen this popculturenerd, but I’ll post it anyway:
A release date has been set for TTTW:
August 14, 2009.
I knew that if we all just whined about it enough on the internet they’d finally do something about it.
popculturenerd
March 13, 2009 at 12:38 pmJoyce,
I’d only heard it might come out late July so thanks for this! I think it’s a good date. It’s a summer release but blockbusters like Star Trek and Terminator Salvation will have already bowed.
Scotty
March 13, 2009 at 9:36 amI still think that this book was so deep and so in depth that the only way they could have stuck to the story and done it any justice would to have someone like HBO turn it into a mini-series
popculturenerd
March 13, 2009 at 12:39 pmHi Scotty,
That would work for me, too. With this book, I want more, not less, but mostly I just want good.
Melanie
March 19, 2009 at 9:27 amFrom your description of the ending, it seems like New Line/WB has decided to go with the ending I read about a while back on IMDb. That description has since been removed because the message board poster was breaking the confidentiality rules of the screening they attended.
I think that their decision to go with a different ending is unfortunate because the ending of the book is such a powerful moment. Still, this is one of my all-time favorite books, and I’m really looking forward to seeing it come alive on the screen.
Thanks for the info about Audrey Niffenegger’s new book! I can’t wait to read it. 🙂
popculturenerd
March 19, 2009 at 3:29 pmHi Melanie,
I read about that ending as well and it does sound like they’re going to keep it. I agree the book’s ending is very powerful but if the film’s ending can somehow evoke the same feelings in me, I’ll be happy.
I can’t wait, either, for Ms. Niffenegger’s next book. If I can get my hands on an early review copy, you’ll be sure to hear about it here!
Ieneke van Houten
October 22, 2009 at 7:54 amThere is going to be a MOVIE?! OH wow! This is the first time I heard about it. I just caught the tail end of an interview with Audrey N. on the radio, swhich mentioned a new book. I couldn’t quite remember her name but was pretty sure it was the author of TTTW, which I loved. Went to look up the title on Google, so I could get the author and find the new book….what did we DO before Google? Anyway….just waving to fellow fans.
Sunkissedjill
November 17, 2009 at 10:23 amLoved the book and really hope they dont screw it up. I couldnt stand what the movies did to benjamin Button and slumdog. cant wait to see how they portray this incredible romance.
Pop Culture Nerd
November 17, 2009 at 10:47 amHi Sunkissedjill,
The movie was different and while I enjoyed if not loved it, some fans hated it. I’d be interested to know what you think. I hated what they did to Button, too, and wasn’t as crazy about Slumdog as everyone else.