Where will you be when you find your soulmate? How long will it be until they appear in your life? These are questions the overlooked indie movie "Timer" tries its best to answer. The sci-fi romantic comedy follows Oona (Emma Caulfield), a woman whose implanted countdown device stays blank because her supposed other half hasn’t had theirs installed yet.
Enter Mikey (John Patrick Amedori), a grocery clerk whose display says he will meet his match soon. Their fling has an expiration date before it even begins. As Oona and her sister pinball through clinics, parties and dates while looking for "the one," you have to wonder when it'll happen for both of them and if Oona may have already found the person for her.
This love story explores some difficult concepts while introducing important questions about relationships. But more than that, "Timer" is an exciting story that doesn't get enough praise. If you're curious, you can find it on Tubi to stream right now — totally, completely for free.
What's 'Timer' about?
In "Timer", a company sells wrist implants called Timers that count down to the exact moment you'll meet your soulmate. Oona is a woman who has a device with a blank display because her supposed match hasn't gotten a device yet.
As a result, she keeps bringing Timer-free boyfriends around, hoping for a device. Her half sister Steph’s device says she won't meet her person for more than 15 years, while their teenage brother’s activates immediately on his 16th birthday. Oona eventually meets Mikey, a grocery clerk whose countdown shows only a few months left, and Steph meets Dan, a recent arrival who refuses an implant because he believes he already had his “one.”
As the group's paths continue to cross and Oona begins questioning what love truly is and where and when she'll find it, things begin to change and shift. At one point, the friend group has their devices removed and reinstalled, and timings change completely. But one thing is constant: They're all still looking for true love, wherever they can find it and whoever they'll find it with, not necessarily the person with a Timer.
Why you should stream 'Timer' on Tubi
On the surface, "Timer" sounds like a cute high-concept rom-com, but what you get is a much sharper story about how people behave when certainty is on the table and it can be bought with cash.
With a Timer device, it all feels uncomfortably close to real dating, and you start asking yourself the same questions as the characters. Would you lean on the tech if you had it, or would knowing the answer to when you might find your soulmate make you braver?
At the same time, this isn't a movie that's keen on coddling you while it plays out to make you feel better. Plus, the ending leaves just enough open space to keep the conversation going after the credits.
Maybe you're already talking to your soulmate and one of you needs a push. Or maybe you just need to get out there and explore without the aid of technology. If you want a smart, offbeat romance with a sci-fi twist, you can check it out on Tubi for free now.
Watch "Timer" free on Tubi
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