Full of sibling misadventures and time travel shenanigans, The Present explores more grounded reasons for wanting to turn back the clock. Despite the mundanity of its plot—husband and wife separations, marriage counselling and bickering siblings —it’s a fun-filled experience led by the comedic expertise of Gregg Kinnear and Isla Fisher.
★★★☆☆
The popularity of time travel plots in fiction has grown exponentially over the years, especially considering the mainstream media obsession with multiverses. However, some of the more interesting stories that use this trope are the ones that focus on individuals and relationships. Time Addicts (2023), About Time (2013), Back to the Future (1985); in all these films, time travel is founded on relationship dynamics and personal connections. The Present follows this pattern too, highlighting broken bonds between people and how time—whether it’s moving backwards or forward—can heal that which has been damaged.
Family-focused and comedic, The Present follows Taylor (Easton Rocket Sweda) and his siblings Max (Mason Shea Joyce) and Emma (Shay Rudolph) on a quest to save their parents’ marriage. They stumble upon a grandfather clock that allows them to rewind time, with which they relive the same day over and over again, trying to find to the right combination of events. More than just a story of fixing a separation, the film looks at a range of dynamics within the family of five. From the slow demise of romance between the husband and wife to the tense disagreements among the siblings, the narrative doesn’t just force the parents to confront their deteriorating marriage; it also journeys through the other broken parts of the family, digging out the roots and finding solutions from there.
A great feat of the film is its use of perspective in relation to the time travel aspect. Each reset features a different family member’s point of view, allowing all the characters time to shine and develop outside the common goal of saving the parents’ marriage. They each have their own struggles and personal dilemmas that shape their character outside of the family dynamic, making them more complex and engaging to watch. It’s also interesting seeing the events and consequences of time travel through the lens of somebody unaware that it’s happening. Several scenes repeat themselves, with the camera angles changing to match the perspective of each person. This gives viewers a more dynamic experience, with new details and a different way of looking at the situation revealed with each iteration.
While some of the actors are stronger than others—such as Joyce’s unnatural line delivery—it’s easy to appreciate the bond between the siblings. The script makes an effort to endear the audience to each individual before focusing on their interactions with each other, making it clearer that while the three of them don’t always get along, seeing their parents’ marriage fall apart brings them closer together. However the best chemistry in The Present, without a doubt, is between Eric (Kinnear) and Jen (Fisher). Watching two actors with such impeccable comedic timing riffing and bouncing off of each other is just such a fun time. Their romantic chemistry is also very charming and natural, making it easy to root for them.
There are some interesting visual choices in The Present that help enhance its themes. The repeated image of the clock between Jen and Eric, for example, consistently reminds viewers of the device’s centricity to the plot. It’s also very refreshing to see a film marvel in bright and warm colours. Many theatrical releases nowadays are very grey, single-toned and quite dull—even those that are specifically fantasy. Using such a vibrant filter here enhances the magic of this clock. Between the vivid colours and a haunting score, the audience always feels that there’s something looming around the corner. This constant replay will have to end at some point—but then what?
The Verdict
The Present is a wonderful family film that explores the layers of connection within a family. It’s bright, vibrant, and visually fun. While the time travel aspect doesn’t really have any set rules or logic behind it, the focus on something more grounded than saving the world does pay dividends. There’s a lot of room for chaotic time-travel shenanigans, but at the heart of it all, what really makes The Present such an enjoyable experience is watching these characters’ bonds grow stronger with every new reset of time that comes their way.
Words by Mae Trumata
The Present will be released in UK cinemas from 24 May.
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