It
is sort of like Looper, but the purpose of the time travel is love
rather than contract killing. After years of research, James invented a process
for time travel, but he had lost the love of his life long before that. Bitter
over his life choices, the scruffy scientist uses his own method to try to
convince his younger self to concentrate on the woman he loves instead in
Jeremy LaLonde’s James vs. His Future Self, which screens during the 2020 Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
James
is intellectually brilliant, but an emotional idiot. Even though he is highly
attracted to his co-worker friend Courtney, he is too consumed with his work to
make any sort of advance. His older self will explain, in quite rough terms,
what a mistake that is, but it is almost impossible to get through his younger
self’s thick head. Nevertheless, the junior James agrees to finally act on his
feelings, in order to make old bitter James (or “Uncle Jimmy” as he is forced
to call him) go away. Initially, it all comes as a pleasant surprise to
Courtney, who had largely given up on him. Unfortunately, the present-day James
hasn’t really changed his obsessive, preoccupied ways yet.
LaLonde
and co-screenwriter-co-star Jonas Chernick bring a fresh twist to time travel
science fiction, even though they are not overly obsessed with the quantum
mechanics of the space time continuum. Their focus is more on the personal,
particularly James’ relationship with his older self. Most viewers would
probably classify it as a time-travel rom-com, but it has a surprisingly
bittersweet sensibility. It shares a kinship with The Wrong Todd (which could
even be described as poignant at times), substituting time travel for parallel
universes.
Daniel
Stern is consistently funny as Future James, and also hits the right notes of
nostalgic regret during his serious dramatic scenes. Frankly, he outshines Chernick’s
current James to such an extent, it becomes a bit of a comparison problem, even
though they share an appropriate resemblance. Cleopatra Coleman also makes a
strong impression playing Courtney with intelligence and warmth. Her character demonstrates
smart people are not always socially awkward geeks.
James
vs.
is another example of effective speculative fiction that requires virtually no
special effects. It is a well-written film that cleverly uses the fantastical
premise to examine some pretty universal themes. Highly recommended, James
vs. His Future Self screens again today (1/17) and tomorrow (1/18), during
this year’s SBIFF.
