About Time

Right now you can watch About Time in Australia on Paramount+ Amazon Channel and Foxtel Now, and in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Sky Go — and it goes further with its ideas than most genre entertainment bothers to. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 8/10 TMDB score, built from 9,352 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Domhnall Gleeson's performance is the anchor the more ambitious scenes need. Put it on tonight on Paramount+ Amazon Channel and see for yourself.

There is a reason About Time keeps coming up in conversation. About Time uses its genre premise as cover for asking bigger questions. The night after another unsatisfactory New Year's party, Tim's father reveals to him that the men in their family have the ability to travel through time. They can't change history, but they can change what happens and has happened in their own lives. Thus begins the start of a lesson in learning to appreciate life itself as it is, as it comes, and most importantly, the people living alongside us. Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams lead a cast that makes the ambitious moments land. It hit screens in 2013. What separates About Time from lesser genre entertainment is a willingness to let the concept cost the characters something. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, About Time fits the bill. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Domhnall Gleeson's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.