The expression time is money is literally true in this science-fiction thriller.

In Time is set in some future universe where time replaces money. Everyone stops aging at 25 when a neat digital readout appears on your arm giving you one more year to live. When your clock runs down to zero, you’re dead.

You have to work for, buy or steal more time if you want to live longer. Everything costs time; a pop may be 20 minutes, a bus ride an hour or two and a really fancy meal, eight weeks. And just like with money, most people don’t have enough, or just enough to get by, and some have too much.

Justin Timberlake plays a working class guy just getting by, but when a suicidal man gives him a century of time on his digital readout he is suspected of murdering him for it. In this world policemen are called timekeepers and Timberlake is pursued by a cold-blooded Cillian Murphy, as well as a nasty thief who wants to steal his time.

So he hides out in a time-rich neighbourhood where he meets a time-rich girl played by Amanda Seyfried. It doesn’t take long before they are on the run together, pursued by thieves and timekeepers.

The movie is worth seeing for its novel use of time. Unfortunately, novelty does wear a little thin by the end and the plotting doesn’t always work, but watching it isn’t a waste of time.

Rating: four deer out of five

Next Week on Video

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part II completes the series on video.

Alf Cryderman is a Red Deer freelance writer and old movie buff.