I leave others to comment on this film's qualities as a film - it's a so-so time-travel comedy/thriller that runs out of steam long before its final reveal. Instead, I want to focus on why I found it quite so annoying.
The film clearly owes a huge debt to Back to the Future - but minus the wit and warmth. It's as if someone watched the 1985 classic and decided that what was needed was to replace the jokes and good-natured observations about the differences between past and present with tiresome finger-wagging and virtue signalling about how everyone born before circa 1990 was/is an ignorant bigot.
Yes, this is a film clearly scripted by a Millennial/Gen Zer, who views the past as one long series of hate crimes - and believes that it is the job of the 21st century enlightened to point this out, loudly and constantly.
So, we get endless comments (not jokes) about how people in the past are all guilty of fat-shaming, homophobia etc.
But here's the thing. Most decent people would agree that 'bullying' others for being overweight, drink driving and the like are no longer socially acceptable (if they ever were). Yet the film, despite its intentions, unwittingly reveals why so many people find woke ideology such a turn off: it is just so prudish and joyless.
Even though the 1980s characters are presented here as one-dimensional idiots ... they actually seem to be enjoying life, partying, making out etc. By contrast, the main character simply spends most of the film scowling and saying things like 'you can't say that anymore!', 'that's problematic!' and other such whiny admonitions.
So, if the choice is between young people simply having fun, however 'outdated' their views, and a prissy little member of the thought police, I know which generation of young people I want to side with. Unlike Back to the Future, I think I'd rather stay in the past ...
The film clearly owes a huge debt to Back to the Future - but minus the wit and warmth. It's as if someone watched the 1985 classic and decided that what was needed was to replace the jokes and good-natured observations about the differences between past and present with tiresome finger-wagging and virtue signalling about how everyone born before circa 1990 was/is an ignorant bigot.
Yes, this is a film clearly scripted by a Millennial/Gen Zer, who views the past as one long series of hate crimes - and believes that it is the job of the 21st century enlightened to point this out, loudly and constantly.
So, we get endless comments (not jokes) about how people in the past are all guilty of fat-shaming, homophobia etc.
But here's the thing. Most decent people would agree that 'bullying' others for being overweight, drink driving and the like are no longer socially acceptable (if they ever were). Yet the film, despite its intentions, unwittingly reveals why so many people find woke ideology such a turn off: it is just so prudish and joyless.
Even though the 1980s characters are presented here as one-dimensional idiots ... they actually seem to be enjoying life, partying, making out etc. By contrast, the main character simply spends most of the film scowling and saying things like 'you can't say that anymore!', 'that's problematic!' and other such whiny admonitions.
So, if the choice is between young people simply having fun, however 'outdated' their views, and a prissy little member of the thought police, I know which generation of young people I want to side with. Unlike Back to the Future, I think I'd rather stay in the past ...