Film Review: Time Addicts

There has been no shortage of time travel films. Back to the Future, Looper, Tenet, Groundhog Day. The tangled, dizzying web of plot threads, timelines and characters make our heads spin in the most delicious and satisfying of ways. It’s a hypothetical situation that is always so fun to see played out on screen. But I bet you have never seen a time travel movie quite like the new Aussie release: Time Addicts. 

Two bickering drug users are given a mission by their dealer to pay an outstanding debt. All they have to do is go through the bathroom window of an old boarded up house, not wake the owner, and retrieve a bag of crystal meth. Sounds easy right?

Well Johnny (Charles Grounds), the hilarious quasi-eloquent partner of Denise (Freya Tingley) ignores the advice of drug dealer Kane (Joshua Morton) and tries the supply, setting off a story so perfectly convoluted that it is truly a pleasure to untangle the knots as you go along. Every performance in the film requires so much of the actors negotiating multiple versions of themselves, and every version of these characters feels so authentic and distinct. There are deep emotions, betrayals, longings and fears each character possesses and carries with them no matter what time they are in, anchoring the audience in what could have been a confusing story.

This is, in part, thanks to the sharp witty dialogue that can simultaneously propel the movie forward or slow it down to give the audience a break and a laugh. Writer and director Sam Odlum and his team skilfully balance authentic banter, heartbreaking emotion and high-stake scenes to create an intense and cathartic experience. There could be a book with all the ridiculous things that Johnny spouts from his mouth, my favourite being when Johnny takes a moment to question the emotional intelligence of a character in an extremely volatile situation. Yet somehow the film still lands its more serious moments. 

Time Addicts is a concise, contained and super-charged grimy sci-fi action-thriller that feels fresh, fun and surprisingly emotional. The choice to keep the film in the same house, while it may have kept the budget low, allowed for a surprisingly well-crafted film. The production design of the house in all of the different time periods is very impressive, and the sleek cinematography further added to the intense mood and tone of the film. 

What a joy and privilege it was to get a sneak peek of this film, and I am so stoked that Aussie films like this are being made, supported and shown in theatres. We need more creators to share their unique, vibrant and powerful stories – so go support his film! Buy a ticket, share the trailer with your mates, or even easier: get them to read this review in their own copy of the Tawny!

Time Addicts is in select local cinemas now, go check it out! Support Aussie cinema, as well as leading lady, Manly actress Freya Tingley.