Audrey Niffenegger’s The Time Traveler’s Wife is not the kind of book I would ever pick up on my own (nor is it the kind of movie I would go see without free passes).  But three years ago, during my semester in Hawaii, a friend recommended it so highly to me that I decided to give it a try.  I remember that, overall, I enjoyed the book (but everything seems better while basking on Honolulu beaches in the Hawaiian sunlight).

From what I recall, the movie stayed fairly true to the book.  The plot is obvious from the title: Henry (Eric Bana) is a time traveler, and Clare (Rachel McAdams) is his wife.  Henry travels to visit Clare on numerous occasions when she is only a child, having already married her in real time.  But when an adult Clare first meets Henry in real time, he has no idea who she is, having not yet traveled back in time to meet her as a child.

Yes, it sounds confusing. And it was.  With all things time travel, my mind starts to spin out of control (see: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and/or Wrinkle in Time).  But in The Time Traveler’s Wife, Henry is not allowed to change the past during his travels, nor can he control when and where he disappears, and his clothes are unable to follow.

These make for interesting situations, since smashing windows and stealing clothes because you randomly appeared naked in an alley is generally frowned upon.  Henry’s risky traveling adventures make this movie tolerable for guys who enjoy action or sci-fi themes.  And for girls (like me) who hate cheesy chick flicks.

The first half of this movie is pretty dry, and poorly acted.  I expected more from McAdams, and had never seen any of Bana’s films before, but I was not impressed with either of their performances.  Most of the scenes seemed overacted (yikes, Nicholas Cage syndrome!) and they didn’t convey the feeling that Clare and Henry were believably in love.

During the second half of the film, conflicts arose as a result of Henry’s condition and essentially saved my interest in the movie.  To its credit, Niffenegger’s novel lends originality to a traditional love story that will stir your thoughts and twist your emotions.

The final consensus: There are many, many far better movies in theatres or on DVD right now.  Only after you have seen all of them should you pay to go see The Time Traveler’s Wife. I would never go out of my way to see the film again, and would only maybe (big maybe) leave it on if it appeared on television in five years.  However, I do recommend experiencing this story.  If you are interested, read the book.