FOUND IN TIME
Everything means something in Arthur Vincie’s fictional version of New York. Those little things you may forget, lose or nonchalantly ignore may turn out to be the very thing you needed all along.
Chris (MacLeod Andrews) is a psychic, one of a small group who in this world are born with gifts beyond those of the “normal” people. He grew up as a collector, someone who hoards the seemingly insignificant items he comes across daily. Now, with the relevant licence, he is a vendor, passing on these trinkets to those who have lost something, whether that be a button or something altogether more bizarre. With his friend RJ (Derek Morgan), who does a nifty line in coffee with a meaning, they occupy a street corner, selling their wares and avoiding the unwanted attentions of the psychic police. Chris’ relatively settled if medicated life now begins to grow increasingly complicated as his trust in those closest to him is tested and he begins to have visions of a murder he apparently is yet to commit.
Found in Time is a complex jigsaw puzzle where the pieces are never quite in the right place at the right moment. Different timelines and eventualities are played out, with you never being absolutely certain what is reality and what is one of Chris’ visions. These multiple narratives flirt with each other but never quite connect in the way they should, and the result becomes just too confusing to be wholly enjoyable. It also feels like the more thought you put into the film, the more unsatisfactory the outcome will be, with redemption also appearing to be one step away.
The performances are good on the whole, with Andrews worthy of note in his character’s befuddlement, but some lines come across very forced as if they have been included by way of exposition, bluntly dropped into the dialogue to aid the viewer. RJ, however, serves simply to add either justification or counterpoint to whatever Chris is feeling at any given time and is less a real character and more an attempt at a flesh and bone conscience.
Visually Found in Time is certainly stylish and polished, but the direction and editing are a little too erratic to aid the story and ultimately just add to the problem. Perseverance will reward the hardiest of viewer with plenty of conspiratorial intrigue and hidden motives aplenty, but as the twists and turns are revealed everything just feels flat.
There is a complex and fascinating story at the heart of Arthur Vincie’s film, but the myriad of strands it tries to weave together are more likely to leave you baffled rather than satisfied at the conclusion.
INFO: FOUND IN TIME / CERT: TBC / DIRECTOR & SCREENPLAY: ARTHUR VINCIE / STARRING: MACLEOD ANDREWS, MINA VESPER GOKAL, KELLY SULLIVAN, DEREK MORGAN / RELEASE DATE: TBC
