MovieChat Forums > TiMER (2010) Discussion > Coward writing (spoilers)

Coward writing (spoilers)

posted 13 years ago by CosmicSlop
8 replies | jump to latest

It was a fun little movie, but the writer(s) chose the easiest way out, even with the "twist" ending.

The character of Mikey is such a mismatch for Oona that there is really no question about his fate. He's 22 yrs old, crappy job, plays in a band, lives with 4 others and she's a 30yr old woman with good carrier and a stable life - without any gigs. It's set up for him to lose from the start.

A more daring approach would be changing the roll of Mikey to the one of Dan, played by Desmond Harrington, keeping the same premise; met through a blind date, lost wife, all that - but having the same relationship with Oona as Mikey. Even the trick with false timer could work as the character of Dan could choose to use a fake timer in order to "take himself out of the market" after the death of wife, until he runs into Oona, which changes everything for him.
That leaves us with Steph and her meeting someone that is kind and very decent, but not really a "pretty boy" per definition, someone maybe in the lower part of average looking.

Everything else would play out the same, but it would make the choice for Oona that much harder and hopefully deeper in nature. Does she stay true to her soul-mate belief or is she willing to sacrifice it when faced with "trading down" from Dan...

[–] luckyfourleafclover 13 years ago

He wasn't suppose to be her match. They were never going to be together. Mickey, like all people who pass in and out of our lives, was put there so Oona could reach her destiny, to hurt, to grow. The fact that she could now relax, sleep in, and than meet Dan at the track, was all thanks to Mickey. This was not a Jennifer Aniston Rom Com where everything is wrapped up and tied with a neat little bow.

[–] CosmicSlop 13 years ago

Who said anything about Aniston, rom coms and tied bows ? But you are right about him not being her match from the get-go, which also makes it so much easier for her to move on. There is no real choice to be made at the end and the fact that she met Dan at the end when she's late is just writers/directors way of force feeding the fate. She IS MENT to be with him, yeah yeah we get it. Which is a cowards way out. Her choice of Dan vs small sacrifice (22yr old kid, drummer etc) is actually no choice at all.

Put her together from start with Dan, who is not her match, but fits her life so much he could be and then introduce a "true" match, who's worse than Dan and there is a real problem of choice. Which actually forces her/writer to take a stand and not get off easy.

[–] DisturbedPixie 12 years ago

The problem with the story that you want told, makes the whole idea of the TiMER a false prophecy, which it obviously wasn't. The people KNEW when they caught their loves' eye that they were soulmates and the TiMER simply reassures this feeling.

If the TiMER did the opposite and screwed over perfectly good relationships than the majority of the people in this world wouldn't have them, or the film would be a about some conspiracy to cover up that it is a lie. You have to ignore all the success and truth of the TiMER to ask that the characters turn their backs on it.

The people who removed their TiMERs are the people who made the wrong choice, because they didn't make a choice for themselves, they made a choice for them AND their soulmate who now feels abandoned.

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] eightbitsofhorror 12 years ago

I think I get your point about it just confirmed the fact that she could never have been with mikey and his social status made it easier for everyone which does seem like the easy way out for the writers.

[–] FooserX 11 years ago

I think your idea is awful.

lol

The whole reason this movie was charming was because the attraction between Una and Mikey was such a surprise.

Here you had an older professional who went through all kinds of dates searching for "the one"...

and then she winds up falling for someone who is completely opposite of her.

That's what made this movie such a joy to watch.

The fact the writer(s) took the cliche way out...is the real travesty. They had a great little feel good inventive movie, and instead just weighted if down with a forced ending.

X

[–] diyanahrozli 11 years ago

I absolutely agree with you. I thought she was going to defy the Timer and show the world that 'Eff that *beep* it doesn't know my heart'.

I guess this was the indie rom com before it hit it big a few years later sans fancy schmancy cameras and emo lighting. They wanted this to be a non-cliche movie that might win the hearts of people who think non-cliche unhappy endings are genius.

'Silver Linings Playbook' had a happy ending and it won awards. Why can't this movie give us want we want ? That the Timer is *beep* and it can't possibly know what your heart feels. That the fact that a Timer even exists warps the perception of a person. A perception that you can't actually be in love with somebody 100% unless he/she is The One. What utter nonsense.

Missed chances. That was what Fate had in store for Oona. She could've met Dan at the bar. She could've met him on the track if she was late before. But she didn't (and in my opinion, wasn't suppose to). But she did meet Mikey at the grocery store. And at the bar. And he stalked her to her office. ISN'T THAT DESTINY ? Mikey sounds like The One, if the Timer didn't bloody exist.

And no, I don't believe that the existence of the Timer is Fate's doing.

And yes, I do realize that I'm referring Fate as a person/entity. AGH.

Loriginals #17

[–] blindpurple 11 years ago

Mikey was set in place to get Oona out of her comfort zone and take risks. She always took the safe/responsible route. Mikey taught her to relax. She also learned to really care for him despite their differences, but they weren't meant to be together. Mikey kept pointing out that he could give her a guarantee, but she could never give them one because they felt different about their relationship and the timer.

I was perfectly fine with the ending. Despite the drawbacks or controversy, I would want a timer.