MYST POST #1: The Time Traveler's Wife

               The movie The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) was directed by Robert Schwentke and stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. The movie is based on the book written by Audrey Niffenegger about a man who has a rare gene that causes him to randomly time travel against his will. The book was very complicated and hard to read but the movie does an excellent job of explaining and dumbing down the thick plot in a few words or less. Rachel McAdams does an extremely well job of portraying the helpless woman who can only watch as her husband disappears time and time again. I rated this film four and a half stars because it was very well written and it is a difficult feat to make a movie out of a book and do such a good job.
               Robert Schwentke has also directed the film Flightplan (2005) which stars Jodie Foster. Flightplan and The Time Traveler's Wife are two completely different films. Flightplan is a thriller and almost of a horror film where The Time Traveler's Wife is a romance. Though they have completely different plots they both have the same filming style. They both have a fast paced feel and both jump between two stories in the film without overwhelming the viewer. The Time Traveler's Wife jumps between Clare (Rachel McAdams) and her coping with Henry (Eric Bana) disappearing and Henry time traveling to the past and trying to survive in whatever time he appears which includes running from the cops. Both movies use quick scenes jumping back and forth. It reminds me of the movie Dear John (2010) where a couple is separated by a war. Him off in Iraq and her back home trying to cope. This is also not the first time that Rachel McAdams has to play the woman left behind waiting for her lover to come home. She plays almost the same role in The Notebook. 
              The movie The Time Traveler's Wife is low-key and dark portraying that even though it is a romance there is a sadness aspect of it when you realizing that they won't be together forever. The shots are mostly wide shots because there is a lot going on in each scene. The one special effect that was amazing was the disappearing of Henry. In most films it would turn the camera away and when it goes back he is gone but they keep the camera on him at all times as parts of him disappear till he is gone and his clothes fall to the floor in a heap. It made the disappearances more realistic and made you become emotionally attached to the characters and their feelings. People who would enjoy this movie are hopeless romantics; people who love the movies The Notebook, The Vow, A Walk to Remember, Dear John, and Water for Elephants. I usually do not like sappy romance movies but found myself completely intrigued by the plot of a couple who are kept from truly being together by time. It definitely tugged on my heart strings and got me hooked.