About Time (2013 film)

About Time

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2013 (2013)
Founder	Richard Curtis
Products	Romantic sci-fi comedy-drama film

About Time is a 2013 romantic sci-fi comedy-drama crafted and helmed by Richard Curtis, featuring performances by Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, and Bill Nighy.

The narrative centers on a young man who discovers he can time travel and endeavors to alter his past in order to enhance his future. Debuting in the United Kingdom on 4 September 2013, the film was produced with a $12 million budget and earned $88.5 million globally.

Despite receiving varied critical opinions, About Time stands as the final cinematic role of actor Richard Griffiths, to whom the film was dedicated following his passing shortly before its release.

Plot

Tim Lake is raised in Cornwall alongside his family, where his father James reveals that the men in their lineage possess the ability to travel back to moments they have previously experienced. Tim experiments with this power by revisiting a recent New Year’s Eve celebration to alter occurrences. James cautions him against exploiting this gift for financial gain or fame, prompting Tim to concentrate on improving his romantic life.

During a summer visit from Kit Kat’s friend Charlotte, Tim develops feelings for her but hesitates too long to confess. His attempts to change her mind through time travel prove futile, demonstrating that he cannot manipulate others' emotions.

Tim relocates to London to study law and shares accommodation with Harry, a playwright. At a restaurant, he encounters Mary, an assistant at an American publishing house, and they share a flirtatious moment in the dark. After assisting Harry by rewinding time to save his play, Tim inadvertently misses the opportunity to connect with Mary due to altered circumstances. Undeterred, he tracks her down at a Kate Moss exhibition and ultimately wins her affection by intervening before her boyfriend arrives.

Their relationship deepens; Tim moves in with Mary, proposes marriage, and they welcome a daughter named Posy. When Kit Kat crashes her car on Posy’s first birthday amid personal difficulties, Tim uses time travel to prevent the accident and influences her choices in relationships. Upon returning to the present, he finds Posy never existed but instead has a son. James explains that modifying events prior to conception changes which child is born.

Realizing he cannot resolve Kit Kat’s problems through altering the past, Tim allows the crash but supports her recovery alongside Mary. Kit Kat eventually settles down with Tim’s friend Jay; meanwhile, Tim and Mary have another child.

James reveals he is battling terminal lung cancer and that time travel cannot be used to avoid it without erasing their family line. He has prolonged his life by repeatedly revisiting cherished moments with loved ones. He advises Tim to "live each day twice": first enduring everyday stresses, then savoring life’s joys. After James passes away, Tim uses time travel one last time to visit him.

Mary wishes for a third child; although Tim hesitates due to losing his father’s presence, they revisit a joyful childhood memory together without changing the present timeline. Mary gives birth to another daughter; Kit Kat and Jay welcome their first child. The family comes to terms with James’s death, and Tim resolves to cease time traveling, choosing instead to embrace life fully as it happens.

Cast

• Domhnall Gleeson portraying Tim Lake
• Rachel McAdams as Mary
• Bill Nighy in the role of James Lake
• Lydia Wilson playing Kit Kat
• Lindsay Duncan as Mary Lake
• Richard Cordery cast as Uncle Desmond
• Joshua McGuire appearing as Rory
• Tom Hollander taking on Harry Chapman
• Margot Robbie featured as Charlotte
• Will Merrick in the role of Jay
• Vanessa Kirby portraying Joanna
• Tom Hughes as Jimmy Kincade
• Clemmie Dugdale playing Ginger Jenny
• Harry Hadden-Paton as Rupert
• Mitchell Mullen cast as Fitz, Mary's Father
• Lisa Eichhorn in the role of Jean, Mary's Mother
• Jenny Rainsford portraying Polly

Richard Griffiths and Richard E. Grant make uncredited appearances, with Griffiths’s part marking his final film role.

Production

Richard Curtis explained that the film’s concept evolved slowly over time. The initial inspiration came from a casual lunch discussion centered on happiness, which led Curtis to investigate how people find happiness in everyday life. To enrich the story, he introduced a time travel component, deliberately steering clear of conventional science fiction clichés to emphasize character development.

Although the time-travel scenes required external visual effects work, the production deliberately avoided flashy visuals to preserve the film’s intimate and personal tone. Curtis described About Time as an "anti-time travel movie," employing time travel not as a sci-fi gimmick but as a narrative tool focused on emotional growth.

Primarily known for his screenwriting, Curtis directed About Time as his third feature film and suggested it might be his final directorial project, while affirming his intention to continue working within the film industry.

Interestingly, Zooey Deschanel was initially considered for the role of Mary before Rachel McAdams was ultimately cast.

Release

Originally set for a 10 May 2013 release, About Time was postponed to 1 November 2013. It debuted on 8 August 2013 as part of the Film4 Summer Screen series at London's Somerset House. The UK theatrical release occurred on 4 September 2013, followed by a limited release in the United States on 1 November and a wide US release on 8 November 2013.

The film enjoyed significant box office success in South Korea, drawing more than three million viewers—ranking among the top foreign romantic comedies—and earning $23.4 million there, making it its most lucrative market outside the United Kingdom.

Home media

About Time became available on DVD and Blu-ray through Universal Pictures Home Entertainment on 4 February 2014.

Reception

Critical responses to About Time ranged from mixed to positive. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 71% approval rating based on 168 reviews, with an average score of 6.4/10, praised for being "beautifully filmed and unabashedly sincere." Meanwhile, Metacritic assigned it a score of 55 out of 100 from 34 critics, reflecting "mixed or average" opinions.

UK critics expressed diverse views: Catherine Shoard from The Guardian compared it to Groundhog Day, describing Domhnall Gleeson as a "ginger Hugh Grant" whose appeal grows during the film; however, she rated it two out of five stars. Robbie Collin of The Daily Telegraph commended McAdams and Gleeson’s comedic timing but found the movie somewhat "soft" and "frayed at the edges," granting it three stars.

From an international perspective, Leslie Felperin of Variety labeled it "reassuringly bland," drawing parallels to The Time Traveler's Wife, yet criticizing the lack of authenticity in the central relationship. She acknowledged strong chemistry among both leads and supporting actors but noted reliance on familiar character archetypes. While British reverse snobbery might limit its appeal domestically, American fans of British culture may find its tone appealing.

In 2025, About Time secured the 160th spot in The New York Times’’ "Readers' Choice" edition of "The 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century."

Plot inconsistencies

The film received criticism for its time travel elements, with reviewers divided over the extent of its plot holes. Kate Erbland from Film School Rejects remarked on the ambiguous nature of Tim's ability, particularly in the movie's final act, where earlier established constraints appear to be disregarded. Megan Gibson of Time indicated that enthusiasts of science fiction might find the narrative undermined by significant time-travel inconsistencies, noting frequent breaches of the stated rules. Mark Kermode pointed out that Curtis "defines his temporal guidelines but then disregards them capriciously whenever an additional affectionate moment is desired." Additional commentators such as Steve Cummins from the Irish Post, Matthew Turner of View London, and Nicholas Barber at The Independent echoed similar concerns, describing the film as "plagued by plot inconsistencies," an "unsightly accumulation of logical flaws," and delivering a "remarkably insufficient" rationale for its time travel, respectively.

Soundtrack

Issued on 3 September 2013 through Decca Records, the movie’s soundtrack presents modern tracks by artists including The Cure, The Killers, Ellie Goulding, Amy Winehouse, Sugababes, and Nick Cave. It also features a refreshed rendition of a Ben Folds composition alongside Nick Laird-Clowes' orchestral score suite.