In Time turns 15 this week, and the debate around its time-as-money premise still hasn’t timed out. Andrew Niccol’s 2011 science fiction action film keeps finding fans ready to pull apart its rules, its zones and its critique of inequality. To mark the milestone, we’re looking at seven details you may have missed.
Before it was In Time, it was something else
Before the film was titled In Time, the names Now and I’m.mortal were used. That early identity makes the final title feel almost inevitable: short, blunt and built around the countdown on every arm.
Roger Deakins made a digital first
Veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins stated in an interview with Kristopher Tapley of In Contention that he would be shooting the film in digital. That made In Time the first film shot in digital by Deakins, a detail cinephiles still note.
Niccol called it Gattaca’s ‘bastard child’
The use of retrofuturism is one of many elements the film shares with Niccol’s earlier work, Gattaca. Niccol himself referred to it as ‘the bastard child of Gattaca’, a description that captures the film’s mix of vintage style and futuristic dread.
The cast fell into place in mid-2010
In July 2010, both Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake had been offered the lead roles, officially signing on at the end of the month. On August 9, 2010, Cillian Murphy was confirmed to have joined the cast.
The first look arrived that autumn
In Time is a 2011 American science fiction action film written, co-produced, and directed by Andrew Niccol. The first photos from the set were revealed on October 28, 2010, giving fans an early look at the film’s retro-future world.
The world starts a countdown at 25
In 2169, people are genetically engineered to stop aging on their 25th birthday, when a one-year countdown on their forearm begins. When it reaches zero, the person ‘times out’ and dies instantly. Time has become the universal fiat currency, transferred directly between people or stored on flashdrive-type devices.
Critics were divided, but not silent
Rotten Tomatoes reports that 36% of 173 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 5.30/10. The website’s consensus reads, ‘In Time’s intriguing premise and appealing cast are easily overpowered by the blunt, heavy-handed storytelling.’ Henry Barnes for The Guardian called the political allegory ‘clunky’ but found it ‘a playful caper that ticks along on the strength of its cast.’ Roger Ebert of The Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 3 stars out of 4, noting the ‘premise is damnably intriguing’ and praising Timberlake’s performance.
The box office ran past $173 million
In Time grossed $12 million on its opening weekend, debuting at number three behind Puss in Boots and Paranormal Activity 3. The film eventually grossed over $37.5 million in the US and $136.4 million internationally for a worldwide total of $173.9 million.
Which of these In Time details stopped you? Tell us your favourite fact from the countdown.
Facts from Wikipedia: In Time, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.