Primer

Earlier in the year I saw a great independent film entitled Primer. Here's a quick plot summary from IMDB.

At night and on weekends, four men in a suburban garage have built a cottage industry of error-checking devices. But, they know that there is something more. There is some idea, some mechanism, some accidental side effect that is standing between them and a pure leap of innovation. And so, through trial and error they are building the device that is missing most. However, two of these men find the device and immediately realize that it is too valuable to market. The limit of their trust in each other is strained when they are faced with the question, If you always want what you can't have, what do you want when you can have anything?

What exactly is this film about? On the recommendation of a fellow co-worker, I attended this film with him and two other co-workers. I had no idea what to expect, but he told me it was mind-blowing. It revolves around time travel, yet not in some fancy visual effects type of time travel like The Time Machine or Back To The Future, but barebones, no-budget time travel. Like Time Bandits. Without the midgets.

The story starts out very well, and you're not really sure what is going on. After an accident, the two main characters find accelerated growth in their fancy device which they are inventing, since they know that their error-checking devices are the means to put food on the table. The film actually takes you through what happens in a recursive time loop, which is mind-blowing in itself. What happens if you create a time machine, and make it portable enough to take that machine with you when you travel through time? Can you travel forward (or back) in time and give yourself that same portable time machine? What would happen? Could you have two time machines then? But wouldn't you be giving yourself more than one? Won't the universe crash? I wish I could explain it in more detail, but I can't ruin the film for you guys! It's really great if you're into mind-bending films like Pi or Memento. Unfortunately near the end, the director (who also stars, edits, and shoots the film) doesn't know how to end it. There are a number of voice overs which try to explain what's been happening, but the audience doesn't really know. Which sort of makes sense, since the film itself is recursive.

I give it a 7 out of 10. It would be higher if the director knew how to end the film without resorting to a voiceover explaining the characters motivations and actions. The DVD comes out on Tuesday, April 19th, so I'll be picking it up to watch again.