Time Freak (2018)

Time Freak is a clever little romantic sci-fi comedy that takes the universal urge to redo a breakup and turns it into a witty, surprisingly heartfelt experiment in cause-and-effect. Asa Butterfield makes Stillman’s desperation and charm feel human rather than creepy, while Skyler Gisondo’s best-friend energy keeps the film buoyant and funny even when the emotions get messy. The vibe is whimsical and modern—sweet, slightly provocative, and honest about how love can turn you into your own worst lab partner—without ever getting bogged down in heavy sci-fi jargon. If you like romances with a playful high-concept hook and you don’t mind a few crude jokes and mild sexual/drug references along the way, it’s an easy, endearing watch that sneaks in more insight than you’d expect.

Time Freak wants to be a smart, sweet sci-fi rom-com about regret—using time travel as a way to replay a breakup until you “get it right.” The problem is it flirts with the uncomfortable implications of that premise (control, boundaries, emotional manipulation) and then mostly backs away, leaving the story feeling lighter than it should and a bit morally fuzzy. If you’re hoping for sharp time-travel logic or a deeper, more self-aware take on love and consent, this may frustrate you. Still, Asa Butterfield and Skyler Gisondo have an easy buddy-comedy rhythm, and if you can treat it as a breezy “what if I had a do-over?” fantasy rather than a serious sci-fi romance, it can pass the time.