Time after Time (2011 TV Movie) User Reviews

A film for that warm fuzzy feeling

[calgarywino · 7/10 · 12 January 2012]

I thought that this was a decent film; it was gentle, moved at a comfortable pace and gave me a warm feeling. The setting was beautiful, as you would expect of Duncan B.C. and the background score was not intrusive but assisted the atmosphere rather than distracting from it.

The actors were all good and likable characters, even the town doctor who strayed (the unethical behaviour which another reviewer mentioned) with someone who was likely a patient. Richard Thomas has always been that actor who is like the home town boy of the Waltons who we all like. He gives just enough of that boy with the angst of the man who left things undone but finally finds a way to make his biggest mistake right.

Though there are not many surprises there are a few little twists that make the plot work but basically it's a feel good film to give you the warm fuzzies on a cool day under your blankie.

Won't win any awards, but, it was sweet

[dblackman70 · 5/10 · 27 May 2011]

I love Hallmark movies I'm afraid to admit. Most of them wouldn't win any awards, but, are sweet lovely films that do what movies are supposed to do - leaves you entertained and smiling at the end. Most of them you won't remember in a day or two, but, at least they don't leave you numb with shock at the violence, sex or language like big movies do now. So I was looking forward to Time After Time and it didn't disappoint me. It was lovely and gentle and left me smiling. Richard Thomas was marvellous and the ending was rather wonderful. I may not watch this over and over, but, it kept me smiling. Also, the ending of who she went with couldn't have been more obvious as well as what the Doctor did and why the supermarket was no good.

Not your typical Hallmark love story

[Jackbv123 · 6/10 · 8 June 2017]

Unlike most Hallmark love stories, this one is less about the process of the lovers falling in love and more about using time travel to change what is from the story's viewpoint is the future.

We very quickly learn that Dick is really a future version of Richard who has returned to get Richard to correct his mistake of giving up yet again on his true love, Jackie. This isn't going to be easy because Jackie has a boyfriend.

In the usual Romance movie, much of the plot centers around how the potential lovers fall in love with each other. In this movie, the plot centers more around first convincing Richard and then having Richard do what needs to be done to change the future which has more to do with being a journalist than being romantic.

I really dislike time travel movies that are based on changing history as opposed to restoring it. Since the perspective is not so much changing the past as it is changing the future (its all in the viewpoint), that makes this one a little easier to live with. Dick's attempts to convince Richard are intended to be funny, but I found them to be more clumsy writing and acting than funny.

And there was at least at little time spent trying to bring the lovers together again after an 11 year separation. There are a couple of funny moments as Jackie appears more intent on crippling Richard than loving him, but they are really more accidents than intention. There are some warm moments as well.

Unlike most sci-fi, there is very little techno-babble, so both the sci-fi fan, and non-fan, may enjoy this different take on Hallmark romance.

Another FYI

[Nunya75 · 6/10 · 27 March 2011]

It's a cute movie. Requires that you suspend your sense of reality, but still sweet.

As to the other review. You do see where the "important" birthmark is placed. The reasons the doc is a jerk are very clear. The reasons the super store is bad, are also very clear. Finally, there is no doubt whatsoever who she chooses, and how it turns out for them.

The facial birthmark differences are distracting, but again, just suspend your sense of reality and go with it. :) Whenever you wonder, "Why?", just remember, "Cuz it's in the script!" It's a love story, and a fairy tale.

another "bumblebee" movie

[A_Different_Drummer · 7/10 · 13 December 2015]

In my IMDb persona, I most enjoy finding "bumblebee" movies that is, movies which on paper should have been a dud yet somehow surpassed their own limitations.

On the negative side, this is yet another creation of the Canuck movie machine, from the country that via clever tax planning and a chronically weak currency turned B-movies into a cash cow. The locations are Canadian as are most of the players, except the leads of course.

It is the plus side the ledger that is interesting. First, the movies starts and ends with a quote from Kierkegaard -- you don't see that everyday.

Second when it comes to delving into the paradoxes of time travel - something even the Star Trek franchise agonized over -- these guys had no fear. Maybe it is because they are fearless. Maybe (as with most Canuck films) they were into profit the moment shooting wrapped, so they did not care whether anyone saw ever this or not.

To say the basis for the time juxtaposition here is weak is like saying that President Obama sometimes overlooked the democratic process. There are tropes, edits, cuts, even entire scenes that make little sense.

But through it all, the cast delivers solid performances and, at the end of the day, you know this is just a very brave love story. So if you watch it with your heart and not your brain, it will engage.

In spite of itself.

Not a waste of Time

[Lew777 · 7/10 · 8 February 2019]

I wasn't expecting too much of this film, but I have to say it really hooked me from the start and was a really enjoyable journey for 90 minutes. All the usual elements of a Hallmark movie were there - small town, local stores , local newspaper and lost romance - but the storyline and Richard Thomas gave the film a big boost. The time travel supposition was a bit weak (no, very weak !), but I'll forgive that. Nice to see a kiss not saved up for the end credits too. ! Worth a watch - go see it.

Time After Time...So Happy to Be In Love? **

[edwagreen · 4/10 · 20 March 2011]

There was a song that goes time after time, so happy to be in love, etc. The writers of this song should be grateful that it has nothing whatsoever to do with this pretty muddled film.

As with all Hallmark themes, a guy comes back to the town that he left 11 years before to discover that the girlfriend he jilted is engaged to the town doctor. It is never explained what the doctor had done which was not exactly ethical.

In the town, our guy meets Richard Thomas, who is supposed to be our guy at age 55.

Our guy is a reporter and the full story of why the large outlet shouldn't come to town is never fully explained. Is Walmart listening?

The ending will confuse all of us regarding who our gal goes with. You're going to be turning your head with this one.

Let's go back and do it one more time.

[Xjayhawker · 8/10 · 26 February 2013]

Too many people look for the little things they see as faults and "goofs", however a movie is intended since the earliest times to be a "break" from your everyday life , a diversion from your worries . For some reviewers, I suggest not going to the fridge during critical junctures in the film. One said he didn't understand what Doc did that was so bad and also said we would all be confused at the ending having to guess who our lady would end up with or why the mega-mart would be so bad. Enough! For starters, every time travel flick I've ever seen has never been able to convince anyone on the first try that they have indeed come from another time. A doctor who is cheating on his sweetheart has character issues. A small town inviting a mega-mart to build there would expect life to change dramatically for everyone regardless of an impact study.No brainier. Small stores downtown would all disappear as the big store supplied all of your daily needs. The clues are there to see which way our town mayor Jackie(Christine Chatelaine) is leaning. Our central character Dick/Richard (Richard Thomas/Kaj-Erik Eriksen) writes an editorial piece that tugs at the heart-strings of the townspeople including a tearing up Jackie..what do you think the town will do or Jackie?If you watch all the little things, you will end with a fairly well portrayed little piece of Hallmark..sweet..history changing heartfelt story telling..

Sweet, sorta mysterious, unspectacular

[juneebuggy · 4/10 · 20 December 2014]

This was a sweet, bit of nothing movie that won't leave any lasting marks about a journalist who quits his job after publishing an unconfirmed article about political corruption that causes the politician in question to commit suicide. "Richard" has a penchant for running away from his problems and this latest turn sees him returning to his hometown after an 11 year absence.

He is immediately hired back at his old job at the local paper where he meets a creepy, stalker dude who turns out to be his future self. Future Richard (AKA Dick) is played by Richard Thomas and the two actors couldn't look more different, but whatever, its a Lifetime movie. Anyways before long Richard also runs into his high school sweetheart and realizes the spark is still there despite her beaning him in the head with a frozen chicken and being engaged to the town Doctor (yawn).

There are some fun twists and turns as future "Dick" remains mysterious and tries to get Richard to turn his life around, stop running away and get the girl because, well, he's been there and knows how it will turn out if he doesn't. There's also a weak sub story regarding preserving the small town image and not allowing big business "Sir Save-A-Lot" in.

A couple things: Richard wears the same leather jacket/clothes for the entire movie, as do most of the cast. His wife also doesn't age in the 20 year gap we are shown. Duncan B.C plays small-town "Glenville" USA. 12/15/14

Many missed the undertone of hope with Alzheimer's

[abarksdale-1 · 10/10 · 2 August 2021]

Richard in the future has probably had Alzheimer's. You don't learn this until the end. He snaps out of it at the end and is home from a walk not recognizing his home or the pictures of his wife. He had left the house for a walk and he apparently travelled back in his mind to when he's returned from being gone from Glenville pop 5100 for past 11 years at age 30. As in many who suffer from this disease, he plays out the events as though he is talking with a guy (himself) at age 55. As it turns out his current self guided his younger self to make the right decisions to stay and fight for his former fiancé while giving him a glimpse of the town's future should he leave including the collapse of his former fiancé's career and her death in an auto accident. Why do I say this? Because in the middle of movie he talks about a memory drug that would be invented in 2016. Now Back to when he snaps to in his house at 55 years old. He gingerly walks around and goes upstairs to find that he is married to her and she is wearing the pendulum he had laid down 25 years ago and she is getting ready for them to go out. His look is that of one who is lost and is surprised and wry affectionate to her in amazing disbelief. She says I wondered where you had gone. Wow. Maybe you should go for a walk more often. She says hurry let's go to the celebration and Richard says what celebration? She says seriously? Come on we'll be late. The scene pans to her dresser where the bottle of memory meds are almost empty and he goes with her. It was their 25 anniversary party at their cafe and he doesn't hardly recognize anyone including his son and his grandson. It ends with him smiling and her asking Richard if he's ok and he responds I'm fine. It almost brought tears to my eyes because I had an uncle who suffered with Alzheimer's and he would leave the house get lost and not remember how to get back home. The local police picked him up and fortunately his wallet had his license and they brought him home. He didn't recognize his wife or the home. After several episodes he had to be placed in a Nursing home for the rest of his life. Very sad. This movie was very well done and gives hope for loves lost and found again.

...in a galaxy far, far away

[tinsnipson · 16 November 2020]

It was sweet and we enjoyed it. I know, as with most Hallmark movies, that I need to not expect a total tie in with reality - but... I mean time-travel and all I am totally willing to accept, but... Full moons on this planet in this epoch are always 28 days apart, so having a SECOND one on the 25th, and then later hearing previously there was a second one on the EIGHTEENTH of the month... This totally had to have been tongue-in-cheek. Gosh I hope so. :-)