‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ loses something in translation from
book to silver screen
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ starring Eric Bana and Rachel
McAdams
When I first saw the preview for
”
The Time Traveler’s Wife
”
I knew it was a movie I wanted to see, but one that would
probably disappoint on the big screen. The movie is based on a 2003
novel by Audrey Niffenegger. In general, I find that most movies
based on books fall short of the original. After all, filmmakers
have to fit into two hours or less of dialogue what an author fits
into hundreds of pages. The other thing that made me concerned
about the film is that I’ve never seen Eric Bana, who plays the
lead, carry a movie.
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ loses something in translation from book to silver screen
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’ starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams
When I first saw the preview for “The Time Traveler’s Wife” I knew it was a movie I wanted to see, but one that would probably disappoint on the big screen. The movie is based on a 2003 novel by Audrey Niffenegger. In general, I find that most movies based on books fall short of the original. After all, filmmakers have to fit into two hours or less of dialogue what an author fits into hundreds of pages. The other thing that made me concerned about the film is that I’ve never seen Eric Bana, who plays the lead, carry a movie.
Niffenegger’s story is especially challenging since it includes a main character who moves back and forth through time. Her character, Henry DeTamble, has a unique genetic mutation that makes him time travel. It is caused by stress, by drinking too much, and sometimes without much reason. Henry travels to places he’s been in his lifetime, and especially to places or people that have a strong meaning for him.
Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin and director Robert Schwentke took on quite a challenge with the story. They start out with Henry’s first time travel moment. He is 6 years old and in a car with his mother on a stormy Christmas Eve. When the two almost get in a car accident, the fear triggers Henry’s first time travel. His mother can’t take her eyes away from her son as he begins to disintegrate, and because of it, she crashes into an oncoming car. It is the first of many moments when Henry’s time travel is a curse. He can’t control it, and despite his movements into the past, he can’t change anything that has happened.
After that brief opening, the movie flashes forward to an adult Henry (Eric Bana) who works as a research librarian. The book offers a lot more about Henry’s time travels as a child and adolescence, and his relationship with his father. But the filmmakers preferred to move on to the love story part of the tale.
While working in the library, Henry meets Clare Abshire (Rachel McAdams). The red-headed beauty is a stranger to him, but Clare knows Henry the moment she meets him. He has been visiting her in a meadow behind her parents’ home since she was 6 years old – or at least an older version of Henry has been. She explains to him how they know each other, and their falling in love seems inevitable.
But even with a love that is meant to be, Henry’s condition eventually ends up putting a strain on their relationship. Clare never knows when Henry is going to go, or when he will be back. She also has to get used to versions of Henry from the past or the present popping in from time to time.
I wondered how the filmmakers would deal with the disappearances, and they make Henry sort of fade slowly at first, with a golden light around the edges. Then he is gone, and his clothes are in a pile on the floor.
That is one of the complications of Henry’s disorder – anything he is wearing or carrying is left behind. When he ends up in a different time, he has to steal clothing and sometimes money or food, depending on how long he is gone.
The acting in the film is okay, though the chemistry between Clare and Henry seems a little lacking. After all, they are supposed to be a couple that have a relationship that defies time. It could just be that anyone who read the book, like I did, knows how well-developed the characters are in the book. The movie, in general, lacks a little bit of tension and plot. That, too, could be a side effect of having read the book and knowing what was coming the entire film.
It felt a little bit like watching vignettes of Henry and Clare’s life together, but never really getting inside of it. Even the supporting characters who play such a role in the book, such as Henry’s father Richard (Arliss Howard) and the couple’s friend Gomez (Ron Livingston), don’t really get much time on screen and come across as two dimensional. No one seems quite shocked enough when they discover Henry’s ability to time travel.
For this story, I would suggest skipping the movie and just picking up the book. It’s a much better telling.
Movies Under the Stars
The final film in the “Movies Under the Stars” summer series will be the 1942 classic “Casablanca,” starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. The film will be shown Sept. 10 at the lot on the corner of Fourth and San Benito streets. The movie will start at 9 p.m. Kids under 18 should be accompanied by an adult.
