Bad Timing

In Vienna a respected psychiatrist named Alex Linden crosses paths with Milena Flaherty through a mutual friend. Despite a noticeable age gap, Alex is drawn to Milena's bright, carefree spirit and the spark of danger he senses beneath her charm. Milena is married, yet their growing friendship becomes an intense, all consuming romance that unsettles both of them and unsettles the quiet life they each maintain. As their bond deepens, professional restraint and private longing begin to blur, and whispers of trouble drift through the corridors of their circles. The city becomes a taut, atmospheric backdrop where loyalties are tested, appearances questioned, and the possibility of consequences hangs over every encounter.

Directed by Nicolas Roeg, Bad Timing features an original screenplay by Yale Udoff. The film arrived in 1980 as part of Roeg’s provocative late career, widely noted for stylish, offbeat storytelling, daring subject matter, and a knack for exposing fragile psyches.

Box office numbers are not provided in the available data, but Bad Timing sits within Nicolas Roeg’s controversial late career as a bold art house project that sparked discussion for its frank depictions of desire, ambiguity about consent, and the ethical ambiguities of adult romance.

The movie has a devoted if niche following for Roeg fans and Art Garfunkel enthusiasts alike. Its mood relies on stark Vienna visuals, tense intercuts, and performances that tighten the balance between restraint and craving, making it a standout in its director's catalog. For some viewers it remains a provocative fingerprint of the era.

Critics were divided on Bad Timing, a film that probes messy desires and moral ambiguity without offering easy answers. Some praised Roeg for blunt honesty and a fearless take on complex relationships, while others found the structure opaque. The core themes include power imbalance in a forbidden romance, the cost of obsession, and the ethical boundaries that surface when attraction overtakes judgment.