TICKING CLOCK

US, 2011, 95 minutes, Colour.
Cuba Gooding Jr, Neal McDonough?.
Directed by Ernie Barbarash.


Ticking Clock is the kind of film that Cuba Gooding Jr was appearing in for many years. Crime thrillers, smaller budget, offering him opportunities for routine performances. Many of these films went straight to DVD.
This one is more interesting than average but will strain audience credulity. For about 70 minutes, it is a film about a serial killer, focusing on his victims, focusing on Cuba Gooding Jr as Louis, an investigative journalist with a strong reputation, present at the killings and under suspicion from the police. The film works well enough in this style, starting to offer interesting clues, especially as regards fingerprints and analysis of material.
Then the film turns into a time travel story, not unlike the Bruce Willis – Joseph Gordon Leavitt film, Loophole. The premise is that a killer can come back to the past from the future. Because the film has been focusing on a young boy and his ambitions, it gradually dawns on audience and Louis alike that this is a story of time travel. It builds up to a dramatic climax and then has a happy ending with order restored.

1. A serial killer story? Combined with investigative journalism? And time travel? A satisfying combination?
2. The ordinary American city? Homes, bars, police precincts, universities, orphanage? Realistic atmosphere? For unrealistic events?
3. The introduction to Louis, drinking, his article, his reputation, marriage break-up, weekends with his son, his relationship with the lawyer? Discussions with Detective Gordon? The clash with the lawyer? Going to her house, discovering her body, chasing the killer? His injuries? His return, the police and their reaction? The detective hostile because of his articles? Under suspicion?
4. The credits, the murder of the woman in the bath, the taking of the baby? The murder of the lawyer? Motivation? Louis and his upsetting the murderer, the chase, his discovering the diary, the plans for future killings? Contacting Gordon, the fingerprint? The result that it was the fingerprint of a boy? The piece of cloth and the analysis? Not invented yet?
5. Louis and his attempts to track down the victims? From the impressions on his paper on the desk? The phone call to the animal campaigner, her resistance, his going to the house, the room-mate, going to the bar, the killer and the murder of the woman? Further pursuit? And the police becoming more suspicious? The identity of the fingerprints, the orphan, his visits, meeting Polly, her listening, helping Louis? Jimmy, taciturn, going to the zoo, his talking about his future, confiding his secret, the dead insects and animals, Louis’ reaction? Jimmy and his sense of betrayal? The irony of Polly’s name and her being the next victim?
6. The police chase, Louis’ arrest, the killer posing as the lawyer, the only explanation of time travel, the police not believing him, the killer taking him away, the stomach upset? His reaction to Louis, memories of the trip to the zoo, the sense of betrayal, that Anne Brighton would betray him? His having her in suspension?
7. The discussions with the killer, his miserable life, into the future, his return, vengeance on his mother, his aunt, those who betrayed him? Anne and Louis as his targets? Louis trying to persuade him? The shattering experience, his not being able to travel, his running down the street, disappearing?
8. Jimmy, with Anne, present, the discussions with his older self, his siding with Louis? Surviving?
9. Louis, in a different world, seeing the animal campaigner and her survival, his reunion with his family? A different world?
10. The credibility of this kind of time travel story?