Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly
Running Time: 104 minutes
Synopsis: Multiple stories unfold non-linearly but in one geographic location (likely in Pennsylvania), as seen from a single fixed vantage point. The main story starts with World War Two veteran Al Young (Paul Bettany) and his wife Rose (Kelly Reilly) purchasing a house after the war. Al settles into a career as a dissatisfied vacuum cleaner salesperson. Their eldest son Richard (Tom Hanks) falls in love with Margaret (Robin Wright), who moves into the house. They raise a daughter Vanessa, and Richard gives up his love of art to sell insurance. Others who occupy the same location in different eras include an indigenous couple; the son of Benjamin Franklin; an early aviator in the 1920s; a furniture designer in the early 1940s; and a black family during the Covid pandemic.
What Works Well: A technically audacious drama co-written by director Robert Zemeckis and Eric Roth weaves time through one small patch of geography, simultaneously conveying intimate individual emotions and the transient human experience. The remarkably fast passage of time is an underlying theme, but also the rich experience that can be packed into one living room, spanning from Al to Vanessa in 60 years. Humour, tragedy, conflict, love, and loss pass in front of the camera's steady gaze, Zemeckis deploying on-screen panels, fluid transitions, and AI-enhanced de-aging to effortlessly maintain coherence across centuries. Brisk pacing adds to the fly-on-the-wall joy.
What Does Not Work As Well: By definition the focus is on snippets and vignettes rather than any depth, and the flash-fried storylines surrounding the Young family suffer from comparative neglect.
Key Quote:
Richard (at 18 years old): You know, if you like, you could spend the rest of the night here.
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