Normally I tend to avoid writing reviews where all that needed to be said has already been said, unless it's a film I feel very attached to. But TiMER is one of those little surprising experiences that really deserve a few words of praise. It's difficult enough bringing forth something original and well written even when it isn't a rom-com.

With an interesting premise - that people can get timers telling them when they will meet their soul mate - the story follows Oona and her sister Steph, who are both nearing their thirties and have yet to find their other halves. Oona, who is to all extents and purposes the main character, goes through a series of lackluster attempts at finding someone who suits her, but the emphasis really is on how her mentality and approach are affected by the awareness that there is a path that needs to be found. When she becomes involved with a young guy, for the sake of it more than anything else, the whole debate around predestination gets a fair questioning in a balanced manner.

It's great to see nicely rounded characters who form a believable and not overly sugarcoated unit and the writing aids the actors tremendously in bringing forth this tale of love, family and family love. The film may have some weaker points, but I reckon its conviction, so to say, pays off in the end. Credit is due to the whole cast and crew for managing a fine idea into something that finds its balance early on and is capable of holding on to it until the end. The satisfaction is only greater when it comes as unexpectedly as this little obscure picture.

A sci-fi romantic comedy with an intriguing concept: A gadget is invented that lets you know exactly when you will meet 'The One', getting rid of 'all the guesswork'.

This movie does some interesting things with it, but not enough, and then it stops being interesting for a flat ending.

It deals with a woman who has decades of waiting to do and shows how she is resigned to her fate and only has one-night stands in the meantime, preferably with 'timer-guys' since they aren't 'conflicted'.

It explores another woman who's timer is blinking because her One hasn't gotten a timer yet, and her frustrating search for him, trying to get her dates to put on a timer to know for sure if she should stay with them.

It also briefly touches on a case of a young boy who meets his One when he is 14 and still inexperienced and confused.

But that's as interesting as it gets. I had a million questions and ideas while watching the movie, but the movie just lazily attaches a predictable ending, and you can see they just stopped thinking at a certain point.

For example, the young boy: What is the damage to someone who sees his life already mapped out for him at 14? Wouldn't he possibly lash out and try to have sex with as many other girls as possible?

If the timer 'only confirms what you already know', then why was the timer's revelation at the end so obviously wrong for everyone?

Where are the organized groups of people against the timer? Pick a reason: Religion, adventure-seekers, bohemians, people who don't believe in the One, or in monogamy, etc etc.

Why did Steph want to remove the timer? She already knew what it says that it would take 14 more years... there would be no change in her mind after removing it.

Why did Dan get a timer after he was so sure that he already had the One and seemed so against it?

Technically, how can the Timer read 'Oxytocin' levels ('the hormone of love') if you haven't fallen in love yet? But I suppose one has to ignore things like this and suspend disbelief for a while...

And lots of interesting questions that this movie never explores: What if you are supposed to have two Ones (one after the other)? What if you fall in love with two people at once? Why don't people ever doubt the Timer? What if you are supposed to get some life experience with someone who isn't the One before you meet the One? What happens if you meet the One but then screw it up by cheating on them? Why aren't there people who never meet the One? Why don't people think of these and many more questions like these in this movie? And if the Timer is really only measuring hormones, then these questions are perfectly valid and many more like them.

And then there's the ending: A confused and unsatisfactory mess. So they force themselves to get to know each other and suddenly avoid people they really care for just because the Timer told them to... not exactly a happy ending, and it doesn't go with what the Timer is all about as well. I can appreciate that things aren't supposed to click all at once, and that what we need (versus what we want for now) may not be obvious at first, but why aren't people doubting that they may be making it happen only because of the Timer?

And so on. In summary: This is the kind of idea that could have been 500 times better in capable hands (Gondry? Kaufman?). Which makes this lazy movie that less enjoyable.

Some might say that this movie does encapsulate the "Zeitgeist". And it's kinda true. Of course the main idea is very well thought of. And while I was waiting for the movie to begin declining and losing pace on its way, it didn't really. Which is a good thing. On the other hand, that doesn't mean that it was a great movie.

That the main actress was a main actress in a TV Show (Buffy) and had her relationship problems there too, this might be something that will not be the main attraction for most people to watch the movie. And who knows what people will think of this movie in 10 or 20 years. Especially if we move into a direction like this.

Good ideas a bit cliché, but a very good ending (imo)