We often hear the phrase “Time is Money.” This film is an embodiment of this phrase. It is directed by Andrew Niccol, known for his work on “The Truman Show,” and stars Justin Timberlake, who is also a singer and has attracted a lot of attention. As soon as the trailer was released, the film became an instant hit, earning $170 million at the box office against a production budget of $40 million.

In Time – Box Office Mojo

Interesting “time is money” setting.

The movie “In TIME” attracted people’s attention because of its setting, where currency has become time. This novel setting became a topic of conversation from the moment the trailer was released. The novelty of the setting is striking even when you see the film. “Time is money” is a concept that is accepted around the world. Still, only a few stories have realized this concept, so it is no wonder this setting has attracted so much attention.

The beginning of the film explains the world of this film based on this setting, and this scene is also very iconic. I thought this scene was very iconic, mainly the exchange at the coffee shop with the customer, “A cup of coffee takes 4 minutes,” and “Yesterday it was 3 minutes!” I thought this scene was very iconic. The scene where he explains that transportation fares and daily wages are paid by the hour is unique, and I thought it was a perfect scene for explaining the setting of this work. The other scene that gave us a glimpse into the tight life of the main character, Will, was the fact that he is paid by the hour for a day’s work at the factory at the beginning of the film and that if he can no longer work, he will lose time, which equals death.

Unfortunately, as the work progresses, there are more and more scenes in which this setting needs to be fully utilized. When the setting is pursued, multiple contradictions occur. The development becomes conventional, and I cannot help but think the setting is a waste of time. The worldview setting alone attracts many people, so it would be better if there were more originality in the development of the work while still using the setting as a hook.

Gorgeous casting.

The movie “TIME” was the talk of the town even before its release, as it starred the viral star Timberlake as Will. However, many of the cast members became well known and recognized for their abilities in other films they appeared in after the release of this film. It can now be said that the casting was a spectacular one.

For example, Amanda Scifrid, who played the heroine Sylvia, attracted a great deal of attention even then as a young actress. She later appeared as Cosette in the 2012 film Les Miserables, gaining worldwide recognition for her abilities. She was also nominated for numerous awards for her role in the 2020 film Mank.

Killian Murphy, who played the villain’s timekeeper in this film, was known as a supporting actor and has shone in many films.

Olivia Wilde, who plays Will’s mother, is an actor and a director. Her first film, “Book Smart: The Party Debut on the Eve of Graduation,” received critical acclaim and many award nominations and wins. Matt Bomer, who played Henry, Will’s trusted confidant for his time, also enjoyed popularity at the time for his role in the drama “White Collar,” but went on to receive nominations and awards for his subsequent films, including “The Normal Heart” and “Fellow Travelers.

Many of the actors in “TIME” have since gone on to remarkable careers. One of the film’s highlights is that you can enjoy their performances in their younger days.

Dystopia and immortality

One of the hallmarks of director Niccol’s film “TIME” is his ability to create dystopian worlds. He has created various types of dystopian films, including The Truman Show, which is still highly acclaimed today, and this film is one of them. Dystopian worlds always have the special power to raise questions about social issues occurring in the real world. In the film, the setting also functions as an interrogation of social issues.

This film creates a world in which money is directly replaced by time. The disparity between the wealthy and those living in the slums is a direct satire of the natural world’s financial inequality. The twist is the question of immortality in an immortal society.

The question of human immortality has been a recurring theme since ancient times. Today, research on the subject is focused on scientific aspects such as medicine. Still, by the medieval period, alchemical research was also active. It is often associated with items that appear in fantasy worlds, such as elixirs and the Philosopher’s Stone. Alchemy involved the refining of gold and the study of human bodies and souls, and “gold” and human “time” were already being discussed at the same table. This theme also seemed to function as the very heart of this work. Henry was the very embodiment of this theme.

The combination of Mr. Niccol’s unique dystopia, in which time is gold, and the question of immortality, which is the underlying theme of the work, could be a grand story. However, because of the desire not to make it an esoteric work, the story could not be expanded to that extent in this work. It ended up with a somewhat conventional landing point.

However, the originality of the worldview and the underlying theme are interesting. I feel that this work will be worth seeing, if only for the enjoyment of these elements.