WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
What we knew, what we know now, and what we long for. All facets of life that weave their way into our actions, mindset, and very being when so much seems uncertain or simply unclear. We wish to experience everything we want to have, put forth the effort, yet seem to discover, sometimes anyway, we come up short. When this keeps occurring, the struggle to encounter what we want is not only more challenging, but harder to maintain when our focus strays further than ever before.
A young real estate renovator, Beth (Eleanor Barr-Sim), knows this all to well. Coming off a recent break-up and now fully diving into her work mending an old home for re-sell, the frustrations of being alone and wrestling with self-deprecating attitudes weighs upon her. Even with the advice of best friend Amelia (Bryony Miller), Beth’s plight grows as a strange sense of not being the only presence in the home begins to manifest. Then, when interior decorator Melissa (Ella McCready) enters the picture, it sets up an unexpectedly volatile journey that will change Beth forever.
Next, my Mind:
There’s an amazing subtlety and slow burn yet uncomplicated intentionality that emanates from within the foundations of this 73-minute indie feature film arriving from writer/director Jade Winters and producer Alex Hogben that somewhat belies the tangibly emotive depth of both character and story being conveyed, resulting in a story that moves you far more than you’d initially anticipate. With an equally ongoing but intricately designed and utilized supernatural element woven into its core, the film relies primarily on dramatic content to bring about its forays into the romantic and human conditions on display, doing so with just the right amounts of development over time paired with what this critic would call functional visual presentation so that what we’re ultimately invested in IS the tale itself, which for me is a hallmark of independent cinema and the magic contained therein.
Focused on a young home renovator whose life at the moment is upended and vexing, the narrative sees her efforts to restore an old house in order to re-sell it become a bit more convoluted when it soon appears there’s someone, or something, else residing in the home, causing her to question everything, including her sanity. Even as an unforeseen partner enters the picture, the journey remains stormy. What I first have to point out here is this film is yet one more example (as I’ve admittedly had to say WAY more often than I would have ever believed) of a story finding its baseline within the LGBTQ-based thematic realms (which isn’t a personal favorite of mine, being honest) RISING ABOVE that, allowing for that to be there yet still demonstrate so many facets about human love, connection, wellbeing, etc that is applicable to EVERYONE, regardless of orientation. I admire this from filmmakers, and Winters executes it beautifully here without compromising anything at all, at least in my opinion.
As I stated earlier, this narrative IS a slowly building adventure, and it did require a little patience at times when the pacing might have JUST lagged a LITTLE. BUT, that said, the grander ambiance of some intermittent chills mixed in with the growing wonder of two people meeting, establishing attraction, exploring it, having differences come about, and then trying to find that true place of reconciliation, understanding, and something LASTING was adeptly managed and expanded upon as the film progresses without anything feeling forced or filled with unnecessary melodrama. The topical excursions into the basic nature of attraction and allure, tangled emotions, honesty, communication, forgiveness, self-critical thinking, what we bottle up, loneliness in multiple forms, not being along in our struggles, the rocky paths of relationships, personal beliefs, what is and is not possible, and other aspects of romance and our very existence get carried along throughout the film, with a finale that really makes the aforementioned pacing WORTH it, undeniably stirring the heartstrings and capping events off with a sense of calm, fantastical revelation.
Visually, the film very much makes use of the home being renovated to at least adequately amplify the milder but still creepy attributes the narrative elicits when encountering the supernatural side of things. This ISN’T a horror film, folks, but rather a supernaturally-tinged drama, just to be clear. Barr-Sim is so heartbreakingly endearing through her role here as Beth, a youthful woman only wanting to make her mark on the world, be successful with her business, and know that the longing she has to be truly “seen” and loved would come to pass. While working on an old home she hopes to re-sell, it becomes apparent that another entity resides within the residence, causing Beth confusion, fear, and uncertainty about her frame of mind. But, when one of her blogs draws the attention of a beautiful interior decorator who comes to help with the home remodel, Beth starts down a road of attraction that will end up going to some very surprising places and outcomes.
It’s another understated performance in many respects yet also quite filled with genuine emotional upheaval and energetic undercurrents that Barr-Sim brings out of her character with well-executed poise that also makes Beth someone to absolutely root for and sympathize with on a myriad of levels. McCready gets to relish being the more enigmatic force in the mix through her role as Melissa, a local interior decorator who finds Beth’s efforts and troubles worth investing time and heart in, but in a far more cautionary manner overall than the eager Beth. Taking constant but veiled stock of what both she and Beth are looking for, Melissa’s mysterious nature ebbs and flows with decidedly mixed results as the pair navigate their blossoming adoration. Whether it is an actual relationship that has a future comes about in a most profound and evocative way, with McCready’s wistful gaze, body language, facial expressions, and magnetic demeanor leading the way.
Primary supporting turns are made first by Miller as Amelia, Beth’s best friend and confidant who does her level best to both comfort and challenge her friend to persevere through the ups and downs of the new partnership Beth desires with Melissa, both a voice of conscience and friendly but firm warning as the events unfold. It’s an entertaining and fully believable performance Miller provides here, with plenty of controlled vitality to share through the character. And finally, Kathryn O’Reilly appears as Cara, the librarian with whom Beth happens to meet while trying to find answers about her project home’s former owner, and who ends up having a much deeper connection to the house than remotely anticipated. So, in total, “Time Was” is a solidly delivered indie film worth taking the time to absorb, as while yes it took the whole film to really make its mark, the impact on your heart DOES occur, lending an effective, meaningful, NEEDED conclusion to what does actually boil down to an epic tale of what abiding love should be.
STAR RATING (out of 5):
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
