“Things Will Be Different” Movie Review. SCIENCE FICTION THRILLER

 “Things Will Be Different”

Movie Review.

SCIENCE FICTION THRILLER

 

Things Will Be Different, is an American science fiction thriller and the directorial debut of Michael Felker, who also penned the screenplay. The movie stars Adam David Thompson and Riley Dandy as Joseph and Sidney, estranged siblings who come together after a troubled past to pull off a risky heist, using time travel to evade capture. Premiering at the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) Festival on March 11, 2024, the film garnered attention for its inventive storytelling and time-loop concepts. Its wider release on October 4, 2024, via Magnet Releasing, introduced audiences to a complex tale of crime, fate, and the search for redemption.

 

The plot unfolds with Joseph and Sidney, who meet in a bar after a heist gone wrong, carrying a massive $7 million stash. Joseph proposes they hide out in a secluded farmhouse that, according to his findings, houses a unique closet with the power to transport them to an alternate timeline. This plan’s success hinges on instructions from a mysterious notebook, which guides them on how to activate the closet’s powers. With police on their trail and little time to spare, Sidney reluctantly agrees to Joseph's unusual escape route.

 

Upon arrival at the farmhouse, Joseph and Sidney locate the closet and follow the notebook’s instructions, successfully entering a new timeline. This strange new world is marked by unsettling details, like a locked church and flour mill nearby, which give the place an eerie feel. The notebook instructs them to stay in this timeline for fourteen days before they can return, adding tension as Sidney’s concerns grow. Her longing to see her daughter, Steph, heightens her anxiety about the lengthy wait. As the two pass time reminiscing about their past, Sidney remembers a disco track that their mother used to play, a seemingly small memory that later becomes deeply significant.

 

As the fourteenth day approaches, Sidney tries to re-enter the closet but finds it barricaded. Meanwhile, Joseph uncovers the mill’s now-open doors, where he finds a decomposed body and a foreboding message about a “timeline vice” that they appear to be stuck in. The message invites compliance by having them sign a document. Desperate for options, Joseph agrees, which leads to a locked safe suddenly appearing. Inside the safe, they find a tape recorder, their only means of communicating with an unknown figure who appears to hold control over the house’s timeline-bending abilities.

 

The voice on the tape reveals more unsettling details, questioning their motives and warning of severe consequences if they stray from instructions. The stranger asserts that their presence risks disrupting the balance of the farmhouse’s abilities, with only one way out: they must wait for and kill a visitor who will arrive sometime in the future.

 

Now thrust into an indefinite waiting game, Joseph and Sidney are on high alert, keeping watch for the mysterious visitor. They pass an entire year in isolation, constantly vigilant. The visitor finally arrives, a hooded figure who violently attacks Joseph and mocks them by playing Sidney’s mother’s disco song. Sidney is also wounded in the ensuing confrontation, and she retreats to seek further advice from the stranger, who cryptically warns her not to interfere.

 

Joseph later finds himself alone in the church, facing the silent visitor, who forces him to communicate with the stranger through the tape recorder, fabricating a story about successfully killing the visitor. The stranger demands proof, but Joseph deflects, buying time. The visitor, in a startling twist, reveals a personal vendetta, hinting that he is searching for the one responsible for his family’s demise.

 

During a tense battle, Sidney manages to unmask the visitor, only to recognize her now-grown daughter, Steph. In a tragic mistake, Joseph accidentally shoots and kills Sidney, leaving him shattered and guilt-ridden. Steph escapes through the closet, leaving Joseph to grapple with his profound loss.

 

Left alone, Joseph informs the stranger that the visitor has departed and follows further instructions to wait in the mill. He is then transported to a different, mysterious location, where he encounters both the stranger and a woman. They press Joseph to recount details about the visitor, but he cannot remember enough. They reveal that his and Sidney’s actions have violated a crucial rule, and they prepare to erase all traces of the siblings' existence.

 

Desperate, Joseph pleads for one final chance to make things right and save Sidney. They reluctantly agree, sending him back to the story’s beginning at the bar, creating a cyclical chain of events. Joseph confesses to Sidney that he has tried to change the outcome countless times, each attempt resulting in the same tragic end. He tells her that the only way to break free of the loop is for her to kill him, leave the money behind, and return to her daughter. 

 In the film's final, poignant scene, Sidney complies, shooting Joseph and fleeing as police sirens close in. Things Will Be Different explores themes of destiny, sacrifice, and the unbreakable bonds of family, with each time loop highlighting the toll of regret and the relentless drive for redemption.