About 10 minutes into this amazing little movie, I realized what it reminded me of - Danny Boyle's "Shallow Grave", but with a time travel element. The similarities are right there - the three roommates, their edgy young hipster dynamic, the outsider who that throws things into chaos, the sudden appearance of large amounts of cash, the sinister organized crime element that appears following the cash, the way one of the room mates grows increasingly erratic and violent...it's all there.
But I loved "Shallow Grave", so I didn't have a problem with that. And this is even bleaker and eerier than "Shallow Grave" - call it a fresh variation on the theme, rather than a rip off.
Yes, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. Why didn't the young folks just DRAW THE CURTAINS on their front window? Or even easier, cover the camera lens? Why did the gambling member of the trio not realize that a perfect winning gambling record over several days at a track would draw attention? Why did the bookie feel the need to instantly resort to violence when simple intimidation was obviously working? Why didn't the young woman just tell the police officer at her door at the end to come back with a warrant?. But they don't really matter. The atmosphere and acting justify everything that goes on here and creates genuine dread - both for the fate of the characters (or even their very existences) AND for the romance between Finn and the girlfriend
Even more than simply enjoying "Time Lapse" - I was really, really impressed by the craft and the creativity on display here. It's not for everyone, but if you like stories that make you go "hmmm"...it might be for you.
But I loved "Shallow Grave", so I didn't have a problem with that. And this is even bleaker and eerier than "Shallow Grave" - call it a fresh variation on the theme, rather than a rip off.
Yes, there are plot holes you could drive a truck through. Why didn't the young folks just DRAW THE CURTAINS on their front window? Or even easier, cover the camera lens? Why did the gambling member of the trio not realize that a perfect winning gambling record over several days at a track would draw attention? Why did the bookie feel the need to instantly resort to violence when simple intimidation was obviously working? Why didn't the young woman just tell the police officer at her door at the end to come back with a warrant?. But they don't really matter. The atmosphere and acting justify everything that goes on here and creates genuine dread - both for the fate of the characters (or even their very existences) AND for the romance between Finn and the girlfriend
Even more than simply enjoying "Time Lapse" - I was really, really impressed by the craft and the creativity on display here. It's not for everyone, but if you like stories that make you go "hmmm"...it might be for you.