Things Will Be Different 2024

“Things Will Be Different,” distributed by Magnolia Pictures and screened by Mother of Movies, is a time travel or time loop movie that premiered at SXSW. The film, written and directed by Michael Felker arrives on VOD starting October 4th, 2024. Lending expert hands to the creative prowess of the indie genre, icons Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, fresh off their success with “Daredevil: Born Again” served as executive producers.

Playing around with time has been the bread and butter of filmmakers Benson and Moorhead for some time. Offering audiences the chance to explore the what-ifs of history, the mysteries of the future, and the complexities of human choices. Things Will Be Different also gallops along with the same vehicle stemming from two main characters Joseph and Sidney. Falkner is cited as editor for two of the duo’s films “Something in the Dirt” and “The Endless.” I guess something rubbed off.

Money in the Bag

The film stars Adam David Thompson and Riley Dandy as the estranged siblings who insert straight into the proceedings of a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with the law. Their relationship and shared past revealed in fragments, keeps events and their meaning at arms length for some time. Utilising the sound of sirens signaling the approach of the police and a bag of cash at their feet, we are clued in that this is a pit stop after a close-call robbery.

The coffee shop keeps them out of sight with their financial windfall while they discuss their next steps. The plan is to seek refuge in an abandoned farmhouse. Coincidentally this same farmhouse has the ability to transport them through time. Whether this is a known fact or common knowledge among family is never revealed. The basics are simple. There is a notebook with instructions found at every juncture. If the instructions aren’t followed exactly, consequences are at the ready.

“Things Will Be Different” approaches the concept of time travel with a unique blend of narrative depth. It’s a little harder to follow than the average multiverse, but it’s solvable nonetheless. The film doesn’t just use time travel as a mere plot device; instead, it serves as the backbone of the story, intricately woven into the emotional fabric of the character’s journey. What goes around comes around and so on and so on.

With the power to disappear effortlessly and evade their troubles, a magic house is an opportunity you can’t overlook. Things Will Be Different isn’t just a rhetorical statement. The initial escape route is through a cupboard. Once they cross to the other side, they face a 14-day wait before returning. It’s a challenge for mother Sidney, who learns that taking risks with time has distanced her from her daughter.

Movies With Time

The narrative cleverly uses time travel to explore the themes of causality and consequence. Each temporal shift carries significant weight, impacting not only the immediate situation of the characters but also the broader implications of their actions. The film delves into the paradoxes and dilemmas that arise from time manipulation, such as the moral quandaries of changing the past and the existential crisis of facing one’s actions.

Performances by Thompson and Dandy are memorable, and the story almost balances the cerebral with the emotional. While the end justifies the means, figuring out what happened is harder given the subtle context of the titles themes.

The concept of time travel is integrated into the plot, with the manipulation of special clocks serving as the key to navigating the temporal landscape. This element of the story is not just a plot device but also a metaphor for the character’s desire to change their fate and the unyielding nature of time itself. Also in play are places like the farmhouse and in another time, a mill has an exit as well. Everything is overseen by a mysterious set of controllers who decide what happens and who can do what.

“Things Will Be Different” handles time travel with a thoughtful and philosophical approach. It investigates the implications of tampering with time or using it to hide. It’s a must-watch for those who appreciate a slow-burning narrative that rewards patience with a thought-provoking and emotionally charged payoff.

Things Will Be Different movie
Things Will Be Different movie reviewed on Mother of Movies. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.
Things Will Be Different editorial review
Time loop film “Things Will Be Different.”

What Are Some Time Loop Films Like The Endless and Things Will Be Different?

Time Addicts (Drugs control time.)
It’s A Wonderful Knife (Killing controls time.)
The Toll (Death controls time.)
Dry Blood (Mystery time control.)
Repression (Reality bending.)

Things Will Be Different Explained

The recurring motif of Sidney’s murder leads to the revelation that her brother Joseph is the perpetrator. At the beginning of the film, Sidney points out how awful Joseph looks. This is because he has been stuck in a hamster wheel of time trying to save her.

There is no concrete explanation for Things Will Be Different on a few fronts, however I’d like to surmise that Joseph had to eventually realise he was the cause of everything. Who the strangers were and why they controlled time remains a secret, but it also explains why some events happened in the first place.

Joseph killed his wife Sidney by accident because the strangers told him to kill his daughter. If they were trapped for no reason and the visitor is Steph, then perhaps the strangers took offense to her going off script so ordered Joseph to kill her. He was given the opportunity to rectify his error but never succeeded.

So Sidney kills Joseph and ends the cycle by leaving the cash and returning to their child. This also potentially stops Steph from trying to find her mother and ending up being ordered to be shot. When she holds up a sign saying “I’m looking for the man that killed my family,” she has no family.

Things Will Be Different is rated

3.5 Infinity plus one out of 5

Where to Watch Time Travel Movies 2024 | Things Will Be Different

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Things Will Be Different Blu-ray

Lightbulb Film Distribution is taking care of all things DVD. The title is available on Blu-ray and Digital Download from 18th November, 2024

Blu-ray Special Features:

  • Hidden Tape Video
    Director’s Storyboard
    Stills Gallery
    Trailer
  • Audio Commentary with the Director and Producer

Blu-ray on Amazon UK here
Blu-ray on HMV here
On AppleTV here

Things Will Be Different 2024 [Time Loop Films] - Mother of Movies
- Lightbulb Film Distribution | Magnolia Pictures

Director: Michael Felker

Date Created: 2024-10-04 17:49

Editor's Rating:
3.5