Why is love intensified by absence? A review of The Time Traveler's Wife

"Long ago, men went to sea, and women waited for them, standing on the edge of the water, scanning the horizon for the tiny ship. Now I wait for Henry. He vanishes unwillingly, without warning. I wait for him. Each moment that I wait feels like a year, an eternity. Each moment is slow and transparent as glass. Through each moment I can see infinite moments lined up, waiting. Why has he gone where I cannot follow?"

 - Claire, The Time Traveler's Wife

I hate watching movies when they have already been shown for more than a week and everyone else has already given their reviews. After being kept off watching The Time Traveler's Wife for almost two weeks, I almost gave up trying to see it. But I loved the book and I love Rachel McAdams (and it didn't hurt that Eric Bana is also in it) so last Sunday I trooped to The Block  with  my friends/ officemates Mich and Sasha and bawled my eyes out. I am telling you, it's better late than never!

Truth is, I haven't finished Audrey Niffenegger's book yet. I don't know, maybe it's my bad habit of procrastination, or my waist-deep backlog of books I have to finish, or mainly because I can't stop myself from crying whenever I pick up the book and read it. I am the most crybaby person I know whose eyes well up with tears at the slightest provocation. Heck I even cry whenever I see the Let Love Lead the Way video by the Spice Girls XD

Going back, Claire and Henry's story is just so sad yet beautiful at the same time... Imagine having the love of your life, only to have him disappear for hours on end, with you getting left behind, wondering where and in what period of his life he might be and worrying what is happening to him right this moment. 

Of course, we cannot help but compare the movie to the book where it was based from. But come on people, film and literature are two different media and it is impossible to fit everything that transpired in the novel to a movie that is less than two hours-long. And of course the film director would also need to consider what would appeal to the viewers. I personally am thankful that they "tamed down" the death of Henry's mom and did not show the awful experience a teenage Claire had with a date she had when she was still studying. Since we ourselves are the best directors (at least in our minds) nothing will ever compare to the originals. I think the best we can do to avoid getting disappointed is just to enjoy the escapism that films originally intend to provide and not compare them too harshly with their non-film counterparts.

I loved the shots, I loved the score, and I loved the actors who were all very effective! The young Claire was so quirky! She nailed the older Claire perfectly! Rachel McAdams, with her luminous beauty and expressive eyes that look like they almost want to cry all the time, has officially replaced Keira Knightley as my favorite actress. And Eric Bana, you are gorgeous and I love you :D

One of my favorite scenes from the movie was when an older Henry (who time traveled to the past) saw her mother on the subway (who was pleasantly surprised because her three-year old son has the same name (of course we, the viewers, know he is talking to the thirty-something years old self of her son). I first cried at that scene and my eyes just went crazy after that and teared up at almost every scene. Sorry, I'm sappy and mushy like that :D I would love to babble on and on about my other favorite scenes but I would not want to spoil the film for you peeps who haven't seen it yet.

Another quote from the novel:

"Don't you think it's better to be extremely happy for a short while, even if you lose it, than to be just okay for your whole life?"

Yes, I think it is. So there, I hope you enjoyed my little review, and if you are a sappy soul like me, watch it if you still haven't gotten round to seeing it, and fall in love. ♥♥