Needle in a Timestack

R

Released Oct 15, 2021

1 hr. 51 min.

Sci-Fi

Romance

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List

38%

50 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

50+ Ratings

Audience Score

If love is in the form of a circle, what lines would you cross to be with your soulmate? In this gripping, near-future love story directed by Oscar® winner John Ridley, Nick and Janine (Oscar® nominees Leslie Odom, Jr. and Cynthia Erivo) live in marital bliss, until Janine's ex-husband (Orlando Bloom) warps time to try to tear them apart using Nick's college girlfriend (Frieda Pinto). As Nick's memories and reality disappear, he must decide what he's willing to sacrifice in order to hold onto -- or let go of -- everything he loves. Can love endure in a future where time is fluid, and all of life may be just an illusion?

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Critics Consensus

Despite a nifty premise and some talented stars, Needle in a Timestack is too slack and diffuse to recommend searching for.

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Michelle

This movie featured a wonderful message of love and touched on themes of unconditional friendship, and near-future science fiction.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/21

Full Review

Heath G

It's not as bad as the critics bang on, but it's not something you need to see twice either. The cast was good and it was reasonably well shot - particularly the clever way the futuristic component was treated without the need for elaborate effects. However, it has one those endings that is utterly unsatisfying. The writing left a bit to be desired, loads of cliches. Not to mention the holes in the whole time travel plot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

gary k

It was watchable, but beyond that a very flawed movie. It's probably the slowest film I've ever watched, it just never got going. Time travel always has its problems but a sci-fi film should at least try to mitigate the worst contradictions - this film didn't bother. The idea that anyone with enough money would be allowed to pop down the local time-travel centre and go back to any place, any time, unsupervised and change the past and therefore the present, is frankly ridiculous. "It's illegal to change the past", yeah, but since the film also makes a big thing about forgetting your memories a few seconds after a time change, who is going to know something illegal has been done, how and who did it? It would simply not be allowed. On top of that I agree with the critic's review about it being about men owning women. Whilst the two men fight like rutting boars over prize no.1 and dumping the loser with wooden-spoon girl (despite her coming over as a better catch), prize no.1 - Janine - comes across as a bit dim, dismissing the idea that someone who has tried to change time already won't do it again and wipe out her happy life, whilst confessing feelings for her ex to her terrified (and insecure) partner. A dark ending could've made the film something special, I half expected it when Nick was sat in the diner with his sister having lost everything, that would have been thought provoking, but of course we had to have the fairytale ending and I'm starting to wonder whether 2 stars is too generous.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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peggy r

Slow. Pedantic Time trave I love but went for slick and artsy but no tension The story needs tension. The cast is too good for this.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I think it was a good love story, the main character, could've been casted better with Idris Elba or Daniel Kaluuya. Either way, powerful performances!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

1.5 out of 5 stars. Interesting concept with a romantic story and sci fi mixed. About time phases and shifts that can change at any given moment. The plot is horrible. The script and direction fails with the idea of changing the past and changing the future. The acting is decent. The film is boring.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

05/18/22

Full Review

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John Ridley

Director

Leslie Odom Jr.

Nick

Freida Pinto

Alex Leslie

Cynthia Erivo

Janine

Orlando Bloom

Tommy Hambleton

Alessandro Juliani

Steven

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Needle in a Timestack: Trailer 1

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Needle in a Timestack: Teaser Trailer

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Bilge Ebiri

Spirituality & Health

Needle in a Timestack is a convoluted, unconvincing romantic sci-fi drama, but it does raise some fascinating questions.

Jan 6, 2022

Full Review

Roxana Hadadi

Polygon

"Why are men?" seems like a provocative question, but it's an incredibly reasonable response to John Ridley's sci-fi romance Needle in a Timestack.

Nov 5, 2021

Full Review

Andrea Thompson

Inverse

What makes Needle in a Timestack unique is its care and compassion towards each character.

Nov 1, 2021

Full Review

Mark R. Leeper

Mark Leeper's Reviews

NEEDLE IN A TIMESTACK is based on a story by popular SF author Robert Silverberg. Though he has been a prolific author for the last 70 years, little of his work has been filmed (the major exception is THE BICENTENNIAL MAN, based on "The Positronic Man").

Rated: 6/10

Sep 18, 2022

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

Looking for a needle in a haystack is more fun than watching Needle in a Timestack. This excruciatingly dull movie tries to have a 'musical chairs' approach to romance, but it's ultimately a time-wasting bore with nothing to say.

Jan 5, 2022

Full Review

Carla Renata

The Curvy Film Critic

Time Travel. Romance and strong performances from Orlando Bloom, Freida Pinto, Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom, Jr. in this John Ridley directed sci-fi flick is interestingly thought provoking.

Dec 23, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

If love is in the form of a circle, what lines would you cross to be with your soulmate? In this gripping, near-future love story directed by Oscar® winner John Ridley, Nick and Janine (Oscar® nominees Leslie Odom, Jr. and Cynthia Erivo) live in marital bliss, until Janine's ex-husband (Orlando Bloom) warps time to try to tear them apart using Nick's college girlfriend (Frieda Pinto). As Nick's memories and reality disappear, he must decide what he's willing to sacrifice in order to hold onto -- or let go of -- everything he loves. Can love endure in a future where time is fluid, and all of life may be just an illusion?

Director: John Ridley
Executive Producer: Adhrucia Apana, Jason Cloth, Chris Conover, Hope Rieser Farley, Richard McConnell, Per Melita, Matthias Mellinghaus, Anjay Nagpal, John Ridley
Screenwriter: John Ridley
Distributor: Lionsgate
Production Co: Lionsgate, Montana North Media, BRON Studios, Ember20, Creative Wealth Media Finance, Thwaites Films
Rating: R (Some Language)
Genre: Sci-Fi, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 15, 2021, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 15, 2021

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