I read a book about Jean-Claude Romand called The Adversary and another book about familicide in the US called Facing the Wind. I thought that an American movie on Romand would take the Lifetime route instead of exploring the psychological motivation of a father who deceives his family and friends about his career then killing his family when the truth is going to be revealed. There were three movies inspired by the true story of Jean-Claude Romand: Time Out (L’Emploi du temps), another French film called L’Adversaire (The Adversary) and a Spanish film called La vida de nadie (Nobody’s Life). Only Time Out is available so I was eager to watch it.
Normally I love French films because they focus on the universal human drama of daily life and never resort to the sensationalism of American cinema: murder, sex, raised voices. French films use nuanced emotions, long conversations and calm reactions even in the face of great dramatic reveals. Time Out is the exception to that rule.
Time Out desensationalized the Romand story, and the film became a universal screed about the fragility of a man’s place in modern society where much is expected, but fulfillment and enjoyment in work and home is hard to find. He even got a fairy godfather in the form of a shady counterfeiter. Oh if only everyone would stop bugging him.
Maybe if I did not know the origins of Time Out, I could enjoy it, but it felt like Falling Down without the anger and guns. Time Out is an existential crisis based on entitlement. Everyone wants to be the hero, but sometimes you’re the jerk, especially if everyone is falling all over themselves to get you back on track. Must be nice to have everyone bend over backwards to worry about your feelings and get the beautiful home, the beautiful wife, the beautiful children without the consequences or work.