Screen Shot: ‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’

Though it’s a bit too clever and it lacks depth, this weekend’s romance starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams is fine for a weekend matinee. The Time Traveler’s Wife does a nice job of setting a serious tone for two loners in love, who diligently work at their relationship, which is saddled with a handicap that he’s frequently out traveling in time, a fact which is beyond his control. That’s it, really, which ultimately bogs the film down, since he cannot change the facts of reality and he doesn’t do anything terribly interesting outside of building his relationship with her, whom he meets when she’s a young girl (which mimics the couple in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button). They meet in a meadow, gradually earn one another’s trust, and McAdams and Bana hold one’s attention. The attractive couple’s captivating interplay dominates the refreshingly adult-themed movie. The hook is that time travel is merely another relationship obstacle to be navigated. Whether these two indomitable souls make it work creates a certain low level of tension, which keeps The Time Traveler’s Wife from exploring something deeper. Seeing Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana (two favorites actors) in strong screen performances is its best reward.