Directed by: David Frankel
Written by: Allan Loeb
Produced by: Bard Dorros, Michael Sugar, Allan Loeb, Anthony Bregman, Kevin Frakes
Other cast: Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley, Michael Peña, Naomie Harris, Jacob Latimore, Helen Mirren
Release date: December 16, 2016
Genre: Drama, Romance
Running time: 97 minutes
When a successful New York City advertising executive suffers a great tragedy, he retreats from life. While his concerned friends try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time, and Death. But it's not until his notes bring unexpected personal responses that he begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.
Taglines:
Trivia:
Will Smith praised the whole cast by saying, “If we are all judged by the company we keep … then I want this cast with me for life!”
Hugh Jackman was originally attached to star, but dropped out due to scheduling conflicts, and was later replaced by Will Smith.
A role was offered to Rachel McAdams, but a deal could not be reached due to scheduling conflicts with Doctor Strange (2016).
Dame Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, and Will Smith were nominated for Oscars in 2007. Mirren won.
The scenes at Broadway-Lafayette train station was actually filmed at the Church Ave train station in Brooklyn, on the G/F line.
When Whit pitches his idea to Simon and Claire about impersonating Love, Time, and Death, each character says the name of the abstraction that applies to them first. For example, Whit names them in the order Love, Time, and Death, as his abstraction is love. This is similar to Claire who names them in the order Time, Love, and Death, her chosen abstraction being Time.
This movie hints that Amy (Keira Knightley), Brigitte (Dame Helen Mirren), and Raffi (Jacob Latimore) are actually Love, Death, and Time early, when each affliction goes with the person who needs to confront them most. Time helps Claire Wilson (Kate Winslet), who has wasted all of her time in the company and neglected her want for a family. Love helps Whit Yardsham (Edward Norton), who is struggling to connect with his daughter after he cheated on her mother. And Death helps Simon Scott (Michael Peña), who is hiding his cancer from all of his loved ones.
Character Quotes:
Claire : What was that thing you said about Einstein in there?
Raffi : Einstein called time a stubbornly persistent illusion.
Claire : Whats that even mean
Raffi : Time doesn’t go from January to December, or from noon to midnight. You know we all just make it that way in our heads.
Claire : That’s absurd! Try telling that to a person who’s an hour late to a wedding, or that’s just been sentenced to 20 years in jail.
Raffi : Or someone fighting the baby clock.
Raffi : Your children don’t have to come from you. They go through you. So, I wouldn’t consider the battle with time over just yet.
Claire : I thought time wasn’t linear. I thought it was an illusion.
Raffi : Maybe that was just bullshit, Claire. Maybe that was just acting.
Claire : I just… Look, uh, this doesn’t feel right.
Simon : I know. But when something starts with a six-year-old dying, nothing is gonna feel right.
