Shadows on the Wall | The Present

The Present

dir Christian Ditter
scr Jay Martel
prd Stuart Ford, Linda McDonough, Marcei A Brown, Jessica Malanaphy
with Isla Fisher, Greg Kinnear, Easton Rocket Sweda, Shay Rudolph, Mason Shea Joyce, Ryan Guzman, Arturo Castro, Alphonso McAuley, Amir Talai, Jaden Betts, Sam Wasylenko, Madeline Logan
release UK 24.May.24,
US 18.Jun.24
23/US 1h26

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Like a 1970s family fantasy comedy, this cheerfully goofy movie uses magical flourishes to take on a serious issue. It's the kind of movie that never really troubles the audience, even if there are plenty of things in here that should be hugely worrying, such as the message about how deception and violence can solve a problem. But as a dopey bit of fluff, it's very watchable.

When his parents (Fisher and Kinnear) announce they are getting separated, brilliant non-verbal preteen Taylor (Sweda) figures out that he can use his grandfather's old clock to rewind time and start the day over. But he's unable to change the situation alone, so he enlists help from his older siblings Taylor (Rudolph) and Max (Joyce), who have their own things going on. Running the day over and over, they begin to shift the way events plays out. But cracks are developing in the clock's glass door, so they can't turn back time forever.

As the story continually spirals back to start the day over again, the kids get into increasingly frantic little adventures, changing outcomes in various directions. It's more than a little worrying that several of the things these kids do are illegal or even potentially fatal, but no one seems bothered. Corny contrivances drive most of the plot's gyrations (such as multiple errant text messages), while things get increasingly entangled in the most ridiculous ways imaginable.

Brimming with smiley charm, the ensemble cast keeps the tone light even as sentiment begins to swell up. Fisher and Kinnear are likeable as a couple that has lost its groove: she's flirting with a beefy fitness student (Guzman) while his estate agent (McAuley) is trying to find him a bachelor pad. And their therapist (Castro) is a comedy buffoon. But the movie belongs to the three kids, each of whom is sparky beyond their years. With plenty of heart, young Sweda grounds the movie as the offbeat Taylor, who speaks through his iPad and manages everything from his computer-filled basement.

The movie comes completely unglued along the way, leading to a madcap montage of wildly spinning chaos. But it's clear from the very beginning where this is headed, and even as the kids begin squabbling about what to do next, the happy ending is never in doubt. This leaves the film as mindless fun for audiences who don't want to be challenged too severely.

themes, language, violence 21.May.24

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