There are so many reasons to distrust “The Time Traveler’s Wife,” a New Line romantic fantasy that resembles a kind of pop, estrogen-pumped “Benjamin Button” in its study of a lifelong, chronologically disordered love affair.
One, it’s been delayed for a whole year — perhaps to avoid a “Button” overlap, but still, it doesn’t augur well. Two, it’s directed by Robert Schwentke, who is best known for the execrable Jodie Foster potboiler “Flightplan.” Three, it’s based on a piece of gussied-up chick-lit as godawful as it is ubiquitous. And four, well, this trailer:
More thoughts, and a new one-sheet, after the cut.
As nice as it is to see Rachel McAdams getting a lead role for a change — in a project cannily aiming at a similar demographic to the one that put her on the map with “The Notebook” five years ago — it’s disappointing to see her seemingly running in place.
However “The Time Traveler’s Wife” turns out, I hope its success mirrors that of its literary source, if only to keep it’s leading lady’s career in the black. Because with the tart film-stealing skills she displayed in “Mean Girls” (and to a lesser extent, “The Family Stone”) going largely untapped since, that “next big thing” sash that everyone so confidently placed on McAdams in 2004 is starting to look a trifle frayed.
As for the poster, let’s just say that McAdams looks lovely, and leave it at that.
Comments
16 responses to “‘Time Traveler’s Wife’ trailer and poster”
09’s her biggest year since 04, with this and Sherlock Holmes coming out later this year and State of Play earlier; hopefully she pulls this off!
Well, “State of Play” certainly didn’t do anything for her. And I’m guessing she’s mere window-dressing in “Sherlock Holmes.” I sense she’s got a lot riding on this one.
After The Notebook I thought McAdams would be the next Julia Roberts or at least a household name. She does it for me, Im a fan.
chuck
Although some of the last movies she’s made certainly didn’t do much for her celebrity status (Married Life, The Lucky Ones, State of Play) when I look at the high calibre of the Oscar-winning (and Oscar deserving) actors and actresses she’s been working with, I can’t help thinking that keeping that kind of company is going to make her a better actress.
She’s held her own with Russell Crowe, Chris Cooper, Tim Robbins. She seems like a person who seriously wants to get better at her craft. That’s got to increase her longevity, and good word of mouth when hiring. So that when she does get a more high profile role, she’s got something more to bring to it.
Now, whether the part in The Time Traveller’s Wife actually requires more from an actor than the Notebook, I don’t know.
I love McAdams. She was absolutely wonderful in the first season of “Slings&Arrows”, a great Canadian TV series.
I actually really enjoyed this novel, even though it is chick-lit. I thought it dark and very complex in both its chronology and character arcs. Although there were many times that it relied on sentimentality and cheese, these was much more underneath it. Although the trailer does focus on the “My Sister’s Keeper” brand of film-making that I assume this will be, it does shine through with some of what made the novel so captivating.
I don’t think this has any Oscar chances, but I’m hoping that this will be a good watch. The last chapter of the novel is stunning and heart-breaking.
The reason for the delay was there were some reshoots done, and they had to let Eric Bana’s hair grow back out after he filmed Star Trek.
I’m a huge fan of the novel. It is chick-lit, but I found it extremely captivating. Bits of the book came across as dark, and the character development was excellent. That being said, the trailer looks good to me; I just don’t think it’s going to come close to the book.
Wow, stunning poster.
Speaking English: Really? Or are you just seeing McAdams? ;)
If you read this book and then watch this trailer — they’ve completely missed the mark. It’s very dark material, feels honest and real. This makes the film look like a filler chick-flick dump-off in August, which is sadly appears to be.
Hideous poster, hideous trailer, stinker. That’s too bad. This material has potential.
Agree that poster is stunning.
The book was incredible but trailer is terrible.
I can’t imagine that this story will translate well to the big screen – it would have done better as a mini-series with someone else besides Bana cast as the lead – I feel like this guy is being pushed upon us.
I agree with the mini-series idea.
The poster looks a little budget. Like something I could dish out myself. They should have sold it as a “classic” instead of a summer romantic comedy. The whole sheen is crap, like a Kate Hudson/Mathew McConaughey movie.
With the trailer and poster alone, not going to see it in theaters, only as an afterthought rental. Always liked McAdams. She definitely should be jugging along nicely by now. It’s too bad she’s stuck in romantic comedies, while Anne Hathaway is working on more complicated and challenging material. But McAdams is so young.
No, I think the overall vertical composition is really strong, and I’m a sucker for those ambient blurred lights. ;)
Well, The Notebook was really wasn’t really a good book but movie elevated the material. Looking forward to it.
Why is it trying to pass as something from Focus Features?
The book is actually very good. I don’t enjoy “chick lit”, and I loved this novel and I know plenty of men who read it and were similarly impressed. It seems they made another glossy Hollywood romance out of what is actually a very dark and complex novel. Ah well.