PEOPLE stop aging at the age of 25 in the world created by filmmaker Andrew Niccol in In Time, and a life beyond that point is precarious, at least for the poor like Will (Justin Timberlake) but not for the rich at the other end of the spectrum who have excessive amounts of time.
The rich, who lives a decadently indulgent lifestyle and effectively immortal in the movie, is ironically typified by Matt Bomer’s character Henry Hamilton, an enigmatic stranger who wanders into Will’s local watering hole, flashing more than a century of time on his wrist. Such a catch quickly attracts the Minute Men, but Will steps in to protect Henry. In exchange, Hamilton not only rewards Will with time, but also with the truth and deepest secrets of their respective zones.
Never taking itself too seriously, In Time is stylish and fun. With edge-of-the-seat high-octane action and a strong plot, there is also an intriguing philosophical aspect to the movie, which explores the implications of the allusive quest for eternal youth.
The impossibly handsome Bomer is one of Hollywood’s most promising young actors. He currently stars as Neal Caffrey on White Collar, which is the No. 1 rated scripted show on cable and critically acclaimed drama series for USA Network.
Bomer received a BFA degree from Carnegie Mellon University. After college, he moved to New York, where he worked on the stage until landing roles on television. His credits include a lead role on the ABC series Traveler and recurring roles on the NBC series Chuck and the Fox series Tru Calling.
Bomer’s feature film credits include a starring role in New Line Cinema’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, in addition to appearing in Flight Plan with Jodie Foster.
Bomer is also a writer. Most recently he and Neal Dodson teamed up with country music star Brad Paisley and executive producer Mark Schwahn to create Nashville, a drama that revolves around a young female singer destined for stardom...and a male songwriter whose career isn’t as certain.
Bomer shares in the following Q&A his thoughts on immortality and how In Time resonates deeply in today’s world.
What was the appeal of the character?
Hamilton is sort of like that character in a Dickens novel, who imparts information to the protagonist that sets him on a new course. Henry wants to change things, but he doesn’t know how to. He’s 105 years old, lived a full life, and now he wants to end it.
In Will, he finds somebody who can think outside of himself, who has the courage and the moral fortitude to actually effect change. So he gives him the gift of years, hoping that this brave soul can make a difference.
Your character seems to have it all, but within he’s a tortured soul who doesn’t care if he lives or dies. What’s brought him to that point?
I think he’s really frustrated at the system, particularly the way it was set up. He knows it’s unfair, he knows it’s unjust. He just doesn’t know how to change it. And so, he essentially goes on this borderline suicide mission to the ghetto where he flashes his money in this place where it’s essentially martial law in Dayton. He knows that somebody, a timekeeper or minutemen, is going to take his money or take his time out to kill him, as well. But I think it really came form a sense of helplessness and frustration of living forever. He says in that scene with Will, “You know, we’re not meant to live forever.” I agree with him on that, I wouldn’t want immortality especially after making this film.
What specific elements of Andrew Niccol’s vision of this world did you respond to?
I’ve been a huge fan of Andrew’s since Gattaca and The Truman Show where there’s that dystopian view of the future. High-concept and not really sci-fi, but really well-realized and thought-out. And there were echoes of that in In Time when I read it. So I really responded to that and I really want to be a part of it.
What do you think are the ideas of the film that will resonate with others?
One of the great things with Andrew is that there’s so much social commentary surrounding all of his films. They are part prophecies, part social commentary, and so I think everything from the occupation of Wall Street that’s happening right now to, you know, all kinds of current events to the ages, reflections of the ages and society and how dangerously close we are to becoming a classicist society. This film reflects on all those things.
What do you think makes it a great thriller?
One of the things that is so interesting about this world is that the stakes are so apparent, especially among the lowest class because literally people are waking up and not having enough time in the clock to make it through the day doing whatever they have to do to make it through the day. And then you have the upper class that has more than enough time to do whatever they want. So its really an interesting dynamic that’s been set up.
What can we expect from the film?
Andrew is a brilliant writer and he’s really created a world that we’ve never seen before. And I think it’s gonna be fun for the audience as they come see to watch these young actors to be playing this wide range of class and struggle. And it makes the suspense element really fun.
***In Time opens on October 28 in theaters from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.
