‘Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. I have only done this once before. Safety not guaranteed.’

Darius, a quirky but cynical character, is enticed by Kenneth’s surreal but committed attitude to the task at hand; travelling back in time for what he claims to be ‘personal reasons’, when she becomes embroiled in his mammoth training operation having responded to his ad in hope of uncovering a story. We follow the pair as Kenneth puts Darius through martial arts and gun training–their destination is the early 2000s and not a Skynet dominated future wasteland–and for the most part these scenes do include some truly comical and touching moments.

The focus quickly shifts to the piece’s poignant subtext; a reflection on memory, and the often impossible naive desire to recapture or alter the past. Jeff’s parallel narrative (attempting to reconnect with a past love interest) highlights this well, and is perhaps the most genuine facet of the film. The time-travel element of the narrative is largely dismissed as a simple plot device to pair these disenchanted characters, something which really bolsters its indie, low-fi charm.

Unfortunately, the subtleties and grace of the majority of the film are corrupted by an evidently rushed and garish third act, which unceremoniously wraps things up in a matter of what must be ten minutes. It feels like a wasted opportunity. Without giving away exactly what happens, any audience, in my mind, would be left feeling slightly cheated by what appears to be a monumental shift in tone and style in its closing moments.