In Time

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In a world where time is currency, no one ages past the age of 25. When someone hits said age, a countdown appears on their arm, and they have a year before they "time out" and die. Regular people live day to day, hoping to garner enough hours and minutes to keep them alive. But the rich live longer - the system essentially making them immortal.

Timberlake is a 28 year old from the ghetto, who is given over a century in currency by a wealthy, suicidal man. After the man punches his own ticket, our hero makes his way to New Greenwich - the rich part of town - and meets Amanda Seyfried's spoilt rich girl. An instant attraction soon turns to a race against time to survive.

Niccol is known for being a top screenwriter in Hollywood, and specifically one that is a dab hand with science fiction. So the fact that In Time has such a strong, interesting story should surprise few. Where it fails is the utter lack of urgency in the execution. The whole film is essentially a counting clock, so you should be on the edge of your seat from the start. But with the exception of a couple of scenes, it doesn't happen.

A hugely recognisable supporting cast also distracts somewhat; you're too busy clocking faces from hit tv shows in small roles to get unequivocally drawn into the plot. No one is particularly bad, but a cynical sort might claim that the entire set-up is a studio executive's wet dream. You have an entire cast of a film where the plot dictates that the actors must be young and attractive; so get that guy from Mad Men, or the dude from The Big Bang Theory.

Basically, In Time does not live up to its potential.