The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)

I just went and watched The Time Traveler’s Wife yesterday evening with my FLICKS Book and Movie Club. My overall impression was that it was good, but not great. I enjoyed it. This review is meant as a companion to my review of the audiobook.

I liked how the movie got rid of most of the things I didn’t like about the book. I still was a bit creeped out when Henry first appears naked to six year old Claire, but they got rid of the other creepy scenes. I liked seeing the story unfold over time and loved the chemistry between Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. The ending was good, but I was kind of sad that it wasn’t old Claire as in the book.

I didn’t like how the characters and their story were not as well developed as the book, but that is a very common problem in trying to translate a complex work to the screen. I also didn’t like how the movie started with the accident scene. I like how the book builds to this revelation. I personally wanted Eric Bana to shave throughout the movie. He is a hot guy, but I didn’t like his scruff!

Reactions to the movie by the club were mixed. Mostly there was a lot of confusion about time travel and Henry’s ability to exist in the same time with himself (no one was able to get the book from the library in time before the movie). Also many missed the build-up of romance between Henry and Claire. They chopped out all of their first getting to know each other as romantic individuals in the meadow. A couple people liked it and a couple didn’t. My favorite quote by a friend who shall remain nameless was, “I can believe in Vampires and Werewolves in the Twilight series, but I just can’t believe in time travel.” I love time travel books and movies so I thought it was funny!