WASTED NO TIME ON IN TIME

It was "In Time" that brought up this thought:

"If you had lived in a world where the currency is time, would you like that?

If everyday, you work for time, just so you can live another day, would you like that?" 

A friend said, no. She would be depressed because everyday, she'll be reminded of how much time she has left.

Personally, I don't mind, I said.

In fact, I think it would be nice. Because then, I'd know when I'm about to die - and I'd have a chance to tell those I love how much I love them before I leave. So that I'd have my chance to bid a proper farewell to them.

I've lost my grandpa without a chance to say goodbye and to tell him how much I love him - and I till today, I regret something I couldn't have change any other way.

If we had known the "time" we have, we might be able to do something about our last hour.

We'd learn to appreciate time more...

The movie:

I am really impressed with the movie, and I actually really enjoyed it. I admit that I was slightly biased because it was a "Justin Timberlake" movie, but that guy, yes, he can act. 

Using "time" as the main currency in the movie, the movie discusses a few themes, one of which is the importance of time and in the most interesting way, theme of unfairness of the society.

Justin Timberlake's (JT) character, Will Salas, is from the ghetto and is always trying to understand the 'system' - why are they generically built to stop aging and why is there NOT ENOUGH TIME (in reality, WHY ISN'T THERE ENOUGH MONEY)?

The movie discusses what we are facing in the real world, where the 'rich' gets richer while continue to subdue the poors through various means, be it the manipulation of the economy or other means where the rich helps the rich gets richer. The 'rich' in In Time basically increase the standards of living in the ghetto, so that the poor will remain poor. 

One scene in the movie saw a rich man telling Will: "For few to be immortal, many must die", as there is essentially enough time for everyone to live a full life, but it is stockpiled for the rich to become immortal. 

The rich man then transfers his "time" to Will and then sat on the ledge for 5 minutes before he died.

His "time" made Will a rich guy who then went to investigate how he can change the system.

He later robbed banks with the female lead, Amanda Seyfried, or Sylvia in the movie, and donate the "Time" to the poor, so that they is a balance in terms of purchasing power. The "poor" were elevated to a different standard where they can afford more things and move in with the rich...

Although Will and Sylvia did not change the system, they disrupted it...and were on the way to make a change. 

My thoughts on "Time":

I guess having time as currency will make you treasure your life and your time more.

You'd think that money is the most valuable thing in the world. 

"In Time" indirectly tells you that money is nothing compared to time. Money is nothing without time. So they substituted money with time in the movie.

Personally, I think the Director can be more playful with the movie - they should do a scene where the mock "money"...to further emphasize that money can't buy time. 

To be frank, if I am in that world, I could have just died at 25, when I feel that life is just not worth fighting for anymore. And I always wondered why people keep on fighting on, when in the end, there's just nothing to fight for at all.

But then I realised why...

Will Salas fought for time because of his mother. He loved her and hence, he fights everyday so he could spend time with his mum. After his mother's death, he has nothing or no reason to fight anymore. He just want revenge, to crash the system that "killed" his mother. He has no fear! 

People live and fight for survival for their own reason - and I need to find mine. 

I wonder when I would be able to have a reason to fight and live fearlessly like Salas....

My thoughts on the "system"

I think it is clever the way they play with the theme of capitalism.

But in reality, there will never be a healthy balance. The poor will be confined at the bottom of the chart unless someone dares to step up and challenge the system by moving up the pyramid.

I think it is not as bad in reality, but still, to a certain extend, rich people need to ensure the poor stays poor for them to maintain their wealth. And the cycle is that the rich will always have control over the economy, leaving the poor disadvantaged.

Sad to say, we can't really rob banks and then distribute the money to the poor like Will and Sylvia, can we?

My Favourite scenes?

"Running for Time"

No doubt the scene where Justin Timberlake's mum can't afford a bus ride with the "time" she have left. She had only 2 hours, and that was also the amount of time she needed if she were to run home. So she ran...

And, she managed to see her son...before she dropped dead in his arm in her final second.

Her heart stopped.

"The Fight"

The scene where Will killed the super evil ghetto 'gangster' who robbed off the poor people their time! Didn't leave them a single minute...

I also love the scene where a ghetto dude stood up to the evil gangster saying, "now I can afford this" and pulled out a gun! Sadly, the ghetto dude still lost.

In conclusion:

Time well spent - no time wasted! :) 

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