Nerds That Geek Movie Review: 'Time Lapse'

Written by Scott Edwards

What would you do if you had the ability to see into the future?  Would you try to use your new ability for financial gain or would you use it for personal gain? I know the two seem to be tied together, but they are very different when you take a moment to think about it. Money will come and go, no matter what you end up doing, but being able to change yourself does not come easy. If you are able to see the outcomes before they actually happen in any event, you could be given a choice to change them and better yourself in the process. But let’s be honest here, it is always all about the money.

Callie, Finn and Jasper are best friends, and roommates to boot.  They have a great arrangement in the house and they never get in each other’s way. Finn is a struggling artist that is trying to find his muse again, while Jasper is able to make a living by betting on dog races and Callie is stuck waiting tables. No one is extremely happy with their lives, but they have each other and that is all that matters. When Finn isn't painting, he is the building manager in the complex and has to do the maintenance when called in.  But when he gets a call from the landlord that Mr. Bezzerides is late on his payment, he knows he will have to check it out.

Entering the old scientist's unit, Callie finds pictures scattered all across the wall and a huge machine that appears to be a camera. When Finn and Jasper enter the home, they take note that the camera is pointing at their window. But there is something strange about this camera in that the latest photo that has come out of it is an event that the group is having later on that night. Not truly understanding what is happening, the group heads down to the storage unit Mr. Bezzerides used and finds his charred body lying on the ground. Knowing that they have stumbled on to something out of this world, Jasper is able to convince his friends to keep this death a secret for the time being and utilize the future telling camera to its full extent.

Putting the race results on the window, Jasper is able to clean up with his bookie and Finn sees his paintings before they even appear in his mind. Believing that they need to recreate the scenes that the camera has shown them, they group plays along with the game, but then the photos start to get a little darker. With a picture showing Jasper and Callie kissing, Finn is upset that his girlfriend is making out with his best friend. Not knowing what the reason behind Mr. Bezzerides death could have been, the group believes that if they mess with time, they will be handed the same fate. Following through with what the picture shows every night is working, but as Jasper stops sleeping and starts becoming obsessed with the images that the camera is kicking out, the game becomes more dangerous. Wanting to rid himself of the burden, Finn tries to get Callie to leave with him, but not recreating the events that the camera has shown could lead the entire group’s deaths. Jasper will not allow his friends to leave, much less pretend to have a normal life outside of the camera's focus, but he is not the only one that seems to know the camera's exact power.

This is a bit of a thinker when you start getting pulled into the story. Not knowing how the time paradox really works, the group has to go with what they know and have read in the old scientist’s journal. Not knowing what would happen if they deviated from what the picture showed, they are held in a limbo of sorts and are not able to step away. I really dig the idea that the movie followed and watching as Jasper came unglued was a just a fantastic job by the actor. There is not much more that I can wish for from this movie since it seemed to cover all of its bases and stayed true to how the story rolled. I liked it, but I can tell that it may not be for everyone since the thoughts of being able to see into the future can really mess with some people’s heads. Happy Viewing.

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