Parents' Guide to

About Time

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Sweet time travel romcom with strong language, some sex.

Movie R 2013 123 minutes
About Time Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 8 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 5, 2022
age 16+

Some of the tropes it leans on don't work well

It starts off a bit ridiculous but then it comes down from the awkward Brit guy trying to get a girlfriend and moves into a more grounded terrain...and that is where it gets interesting. Although we are supposed to believe McAdams is the love of his life that he keeps a major secret from the film tries to reveal how a life that you appreciate is a life worth living.
Hannah907
Hannah907 Adult
April 22, 2022
age 15+

This title has:

Great messages
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

After turning 21, Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) has a discussion with his father (Bill Nighy) and learns that he has the ability to travel through time to any point in his own life. He spends a summer learning to use his gift and fails to win his summer crush, a pretty blonde houseguest. One night, he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) and falls in love. Unfortunately, he learns that by changing other events that happened that night, he hasn't actually met her yet. So he must re-meet Mary and win her again. More complications arise when he learns that his time traveling affects his children. But as his time destinations become more limited, he begins learning deeper and more profound lessons about life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (20):

This is a low-key and heartwarming entertainment. One of our finest comedy writers, Richard Curtis worked on beloved British TV shows like Mr. Bean and Black Adder before making a splash in movies with Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, and Bridget Jones's Diary. His directorial debut was the wonderful Love Actually. But as he continued directing, it became clear that he did not grasp brevity; all of his films run over two hours. Moreover, in addition to being precious about his material, Curtis has also become precious about his characters; nobody in ABOUT TIME is really tested in any serious way. The movie goes easy on them. But aside from that, the characters are really loveable and their relationships are delightfully old-fashioned and touching. Bill Nighy in particular gives a wonderful performance. Neither the father-son story nor the love story is given more weight, and the time travel aspect never takes over. (It's also refreshingly free of visual effects.)

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's attitude toward sex. Do characters seem more interested in casual sex or in establishing deeper connections? How does this message differ from traditional Hollywood movies?

  • What would you do if you had time travel powers like Tim's? Would you help others?

  • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the family relationships in the movie? How are we supposed to feel about the family?

Movie Details

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