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Xander Berkeley, Golden Brooks, Saffron Burrows, Viveka Davis, Richard Edson ... see more see more... , Aimee Graham , Salma Hayek , Glenne Headly , Andrew Heckler , Holly Houston , Holly Hunter , Danny Huston , Daphna Kaster , Patrick Kearney , Elizabeth Low , Kyle MacLachlan , Mia Maestro , Leslie Mann , Laurie Metcalf , Suzy Nakamura , Alessandro Nivola , Zuleikha Robinson , Julian Sands , Stellan Skarsgård , Jeanne Tripplehorn , Steven Weber

Director Mike Figgis helmed this ground-breaking experimental feature, filmed with four synchronized digital video cameras in four separate locations. The story, outlined in advance but otherwise impr... read more read more...ovised, was enacted in a single continuous take, like a stage play, with the unedited images from all four locations presented on the screen at once. Figgis and his crew chose the best single run-through, and the result is the film's final release version. The story focuses on four main characters around the casting sessions for a film called Bitch of Louisiana to be directed by Lester Moore (Richard Edson): Alex Green (Stellan Skarsgard), the studio executive overseeing Moore's project; his wife Emma (Saffron Burrows); gangster Lauren Hathaway (Jeanne Tripplehorn); and her unfaithful lover Rose (Salma Hayek). These characters' paths cross as murder, infidelity, and dirty dealings are interrupted by an earthquake and its aftershocks. Time Code 2000 also features Kyle MacLachlan, Holly Hunter, Julian Sands, Steven Weber, Danny Huston, Viveka Davis, and Laurie Metcalf. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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48% liked it

4,594 ratings

Critics

68% liked it

80 critics

R, 1 hr. 37 min.

Directed by: Mike Figgis

Release Date: April 28, 2000

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DVD Release Date: December 26, 2000

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Flixster Reviews (249)

  • fb791220692
    April 14, 2012
    fb791220692
    As an experiment its admirable; an impressive feat of handheld camera work and improvisation. Unfortunately, Timecode really fails where it matters - telling a compelling story. The actors' performances also fall apart towards the end, and the entire thing becomes far more comica... read morel than it was supposed to be. But let's be honest - this film isn't nearly revolutionary. It's an ambitious gimmick, and one that only sometimes succeeds.
  • puffchunk
    February 2, 2009
    puffchunk
    Hmmm. I'd like to see this film re-made with a different cast and plot and director and producer and DP and screenwriter and sound guy and editor. The idea is cool: four things happening at once split on the screen in four ways, and they are all continuous shots in real time. ... read moreCould be awesome, but...epic fail.
  • kiriyamakazou
    September 17, 2008
    kiriyamakazou
    Timecode should be hailed as a masterpiece of complex cinematic techniques. The film is shot through 4 different cameras, each one consisting of one single take. Each camera is screened at the same time, taking up a quarter of the screen. What may seem pretentious, it kind of is ... read moreeven the film itself points this out, demonstrates how film can still be a mind blowing experience without CGI etc. The actors are all remarkable, each one improvising there way around the final film. Another amazing fact is the timing and how everything runs perfectly. It takes a while to get used to the four screens but soon you get used to it. Watching the screen with sound at that particular time but watching the other screens out of the corner of your eye. Thumbs up to the camera men who I don't think got caught in a reflexion once. The story itself is also rather interesting, mostly as we get to see what minor characters do when not being filmed or at the center of attention. Multiple viewings will serve this film very well.
  • YosemiteSamFan
    February 10, 2008
    YosemiteSamFan
    An interesting experiment in filmmaking, but bad acting and a dull story made it less watchable.
  • littlecharmer1959
    August 4, 2009
    littlecharmer1959
    A four-way split screen and four continuous takes. Admittingly the concept can take a while to get use to. Whilst this may not be to everyone's liking it is without doubt an intriguing experiment.
  • Zibbs
    March 28, 2010
    Zibbs
    This is one of those films that exemplifies what very little movie making experience/knowledge most film critics pertain.

    In this flick, the stories are not integral to the experience. The appeal of this movie stems from the choreography of both on-screen actors and off-screen f... read moreilm makers. For example: some reviews criticize how much the actors improvise their lines in this movie, but make no mention of how the camera operators probably had little (or no) improvisation at all.

    There is no reason for anyone to watch this flick if they have their standard expectations for a film in mind. - This is NOT an entertaining movie, and it's not meant to be. - However, if you have any interest in the creative process of film production, I would definitely recommend this flick as a study piece.

    (The two major annoyances I have with this film, though, are the repeated synchronized camera shaking and the terrorized group, at the end, huddling together.)
  • daedalan3
    February 8, 2010
    daedalan3
    Conctivity and simultaneity presented in an intriguing format. Gives one pause in considering how everything is going on all the time and can easily approach chaos nd confusion as we get overloaded with narratives. Insome ways it takes the filmic version of a novel and gives it... read more simultaneous continuity. One quiclkly realizes though how quickly visual overload can occur. Fortunatley, we only live our lives in one story at a time.
  • jam233
    January 18, 2010
    jam233
    Rather strikingly unusual and daring. The most compelling scenes by far are the ones with Salma Hayak. It's an interesting experiment, it doesn't always work but I admire the effort.
  • catbox9
    November 28, 2008
    catbox9
    Timecode is a rather unique film. For the duration of the film, the screen is split into four quadrants while four different parts of a story take place. The entire film is shot in real-time and the audio fades in and out between the four screens which are somewhat related. There... read more is sort of a plot to this film but the film is so terrible I'm not sure it's even worth mentioning. This film was supposed to be some sort of experiment in film making so the actual plot was largely irrelevant.

    While this film is occasionally praised for its innovation, there is nothing at all innovative about this film. The notion of showing several screens at the same time goes back as far as the silent epic Napoléon (1927) which projected three scenes at once. I have not seen that film so I cannot comment any further. Shooting a film in real-time is nothing new either - Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film Rope was also shot in real-time. I have seen that particular film and it is vastly superior to this film in every regard - the plot is interesting, the acting is is good, the film is easy to follow, and it even has philosophical undertones. Timecode offers no interesting acting, almost no plot, and brings no innovations.

    At first this film seems hard to follow, but as the film progresses this is no longer a problem. Most of what happens is irrelevant to what little plot this film has. The fact that the audio constantly switches between screens means that no action is ever maintained.

    Overall, this is the worst film I have ever seen by a very large margin. This was an absolute chore to sit through and this film feels like a very long film despite the fact it's barely 90 minutes. Gone with the Wind seems to go by faster than this film. I was tempted to turn the film off constantly while watching it, but I was able to finish it. I'll give the film a couple points for what it tries to do but very few points for anything else. The low score I have assigned seems to be quite generous. I cannot think of a single redeeming quality in this film and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

    9/100
    F

    UP NEXT: It's a Wonderful Life
  • msvertigo
    September 2, 2007
    msvertigo
    experimental film with 4 simultaneous shots... a sight to behold. Improv acting and lines hold nothing back from this riveting film.

View All Timecode (Time Code) Reviews

Critic Reviews

A.O. Scott
January 1, 2000
A.O. Scott, New York Times

Most movies offer carefully calibrated insults to the intelligence. This one just might make you smarter. Full Review

Bruce Newman
January 1, 2000
Bruce Newman, San Jose Mercury News

With Time Code, there is always a danger that you are watching the wrong corner.

Gemma Files
January 1, 2000
Gemma Files, Film.com

Often disorganized, but never less than entertaining.

Mark Caro
January 1, 2000
Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune

Figgis has devised a genuinely novel way to shoot and experience a feature-length film.

Susan Stark
January 1, 2000
Susan Stark, Detroit News

An intriguing, often very entertaining thriller with deliciously sexy, satirical and melodramatic flourishes. Full Review

Terry Lawson
January 1, 2000
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press

It will be argued that Time Code is more of a techno-stunt than a dramatic experience, but the stories turn out to be surprisingly affecting.

Bob Thomas
January 1, 2000
Bob Thomas, Associated Press

Time Code seems to be one of those instant cult movies. Non-cult-members are likely to end up with confusion and possible eye strain.

Bob Graham
January 1, 2000
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

Turns out to be more ambitious than it is satisfying. Full Review

Geoff Pevere
January 1, 2000
Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star

As gimmicky as that sounds, what's most amazing about the enterprise is how well it works.

Amy Taubin
January 1, 2000
Amy Taubin, Village Voice

Everything Figgis tries to do in Time Code, Warhol did three decades ago. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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