Today’s quick review: Synchronicity. To get the funding he needs to continue his time travel research, Jim Beale (Chad McKnight) opens up a wormhole to the future so he can send back proof the machine works. The experiment yields a flower from the future, afflicts Jim with strange headaches, and leaves Jim and his colleagues with a puzzle they cannot solve, one that is compounded by the appearance of Abby (Brianne Davis), a woman somehow connected to the experiment.
Synchronicity is a time travel mystery with a limited budget and decent execution. Synchronicity is a mixture of compelling ideas and conventional ones. The core paradox of the movie is unusual—bootstrapping a time machine by gambling on its future completion—but the particulars are standard sci-fi fare. Competent writing, a distinct visual and musical style, and well-fit puzzle pieces will give sci-fi fans something to chew on.
Unfortunately, Synchronicity does not stick its landing. The mystery unfolds well up to a point, but the last batch of revelations only serves to deepen the confusion. Like the rest of the movie, the ending toys with interesting ideas, but it lacks the coherence of its build-up and leaves several key questions unaddressed or ambiguous. To top it all off, the emotional arc of the movie depends on a forced romance between Jim and Abby that never quite clicks.
Synchronicity is worth a watch for sci-fi buffs in the mood for a time travel mystery. The plot has enough going on to engage fans of the genre, although discerning viewers will pick holes in the plot logic and spot a few missed opportunities. Skip it unless you are a fan of time travel for its own sake; neither the characters nor the emotional beats are enough to carry the movie without the added draw of a time travel plot.
For a better-handled take on a similar premise, check out Primer.
5.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a promising but mishandled plot.