The Time Traveler's Wife

*** Stars

The Time Traveler's Wife is the only wide release romantic drama of the summer. While I wish there were more than just one this summer, The Time Traveler's Wife, based off Audrey Niffenegger's best-selling novel, is a fine vessel to steer those in need of a Kleenex fix. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana are perfectly cast in this character driven love story surrounding an interesting fantasy concept. Bana plays Henry, a Chicago librarian with a biological gene that causes him to abruptly time travel without warning. His condition provides the conflict for the film, which follows the love lives of Henry and his wife Claire (McAdams). The two must deal with the biological, emotional, and interpersonal effects of his time-traveling and find a way to control it enough to live happily ever after. While exposition easily finds its way into the explanation of Henry's conditions, the film is an absorbing and emotionally satisfying drama. If you are able to get past the ridiculousness that is the first thirty minutes, you will appreciate the immensely effective performances from Bana and McAdams, and feel the force of love through any ordeal, most notably the paradox of time. After all, isn't it just an illusion?