THE CHILD IN TIME
UK, 2017, 82 minutes, Colour.
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Campbell Moore, Saskia Reeves, Andrea Hall, Jim Creighton, John Hopkins, Elliot Levey.
Directed by Julian Farina.
The Child in Time is a brief television film from a novel by Ian Mc Ewan, author of The Comfort of Strangers, Enduring Love, Atonement, On Chessil Beach.
On one level, there is a realistic film about a couple whose child is abducted from a supermarket, who suffer from grief and guilt but separate, he an author who has a friend of a publisher who has political connections with the Prime Minister of England but who wants to give up his job and return to a quiet life in the country.
The parents are played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Kelly Macdonald, both very effective. The publisher who has to demonstrate eccentric qualities is played by Stephen Campbell Moore with Saskia Reeves as his long-suffering wife.
On another level, as the title indicates, the film moves in different time zones. The main one concerns the father of the child, his going to meet his wife at a seaside hotel and looking in and seeing a familiar woman. Later, in talking with his mother, he discovers that she had been there when she was pregnant with him.
The political connection is somewhat mysterious and the behaviour of the publisher, wanting to live a childhood that he never had, leads to tragic consequences.
Ian Mc Ewan imbues his story with a number of enigmas, intriguing for the sympathetic audience, perhaps offputting for those who do not become engaged with the story and characters.
1. Human drama, suffering, grief? Enigmas?
2. The work of Ian Mc Ewan, his novels, film adaptations?
3. The structure of the film: the shifts in time, going beyond time to mysteries of time and time shifts, the story of the child, disappearance, the effect on the parents, the visit to the hotel, Stephen’s mother, looking out, looking in, her being pregnant? The effect on Stephen? The story of Charles and Julie, publishing, the political connections, the role of the Prime Minister and his ministers? The story of Charlie, in the country, his regression, being the child? The musical score?
4. The facts of the child, Stephen in the supermarket with her, playing, her disappearance? The search in the supermarket, the later search, the notices, the authorities, the parents doing their best?
5. Stephen as a writer, in himself, his relationship with Julie, building up a family, the effect of his daughter’s disappearance, his continuing to work, their separation, his visiting her in the countryside, her coming to London, the continued love, having to adjust?
6. Julie, the disappearance, the effect, blaming Stephen or not? The need for the separation, the time? In the country, her cottage, his visit, the sexual encounter, going to London, the meetings?
7. Stephen, the meal with Charles and Julie, publication? The political connections? Charlie and his wanting to retire, to go to the country, Stephen not understanding it?
8. The parliamentarians, the Prime Minister, wondering about Charlie, summoning Stephen, wanting him to spy on Charlie? Stephen going to the country, the visit, his ultimate at Charlie’s behaviour, Charlie as a child, making up for what he lost in the past, his memories of deprivation? His wife, trying to help, patience, not understanding? The effect of Stephen’s visit?
9. The Parliamentary connections – and the touch of the sinister?
10. Stephen, the visit to the countryside, searching for Charlie, finding him dead? Charlie wanting to be a child in time – enjoying the play, but the fatal ending?
11. Stephen and his visit to his parents, the discussions with his mother, their sympathy, the story of the hotel, her pregnancy, the visualising of his looking in and a young
woman looking out? The mystical touches?
12. The overall effect of the variety of themes and the interconnections?
