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Needle in a Timestack

Play trailer 2:11 Poster for Needle in a Timestack R Released Oct 15, 2021 1h 51m Sci-Fi Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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38% Tomatometer 50 Reviews 51% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
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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Needle in a Timestack

Needle in a Timestack

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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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Critics Reviews

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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 Jude Dry indieWire The weirdest part about "Needle in a Timestack," more than the unnecessary focus on time-traveling liquid or Tommy's struggle to find genuine friends as a rich white guy, are its uber-conventional musings about love and relationships. Rated: D+ Oct 28, 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 Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (22) audience reviews
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 Full Review 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 Read all reviews
Needle in a Timestack

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Movie Info

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
Producer
Zanne Devine, Aaron L. Gilbert, Matt Kennedy, David Thwaites
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
Runtime
1h 51m
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