In Time

Time has replaced money in a future where everyone stops aging at 25 and must earn more time to survive. The rich can live for centuries while the rest struggle to extend their clock. Will Salas, a streetwise young man, suddenly finds himself in possession of a huge amount of time and becomes the target of the Timekeepers, a ruthless police force that enforces the system. On the run, he partners with Sylvia Weis, a member of the wealthy class, and together they press to upend a society that values life by the numbers on a wrist display. Their rescues, tense chases, and streets reveal a world where every second can save or condemn a life and trust is scarce.

Directed by Andrew Niccol, In Time arrived in 2011 as a high concept thriller anchored by Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried. It is an original screenplay by Niccol rather than an adaptation, with a sleek look and brisk, accessible pacing.

It grossed about $125 million worldwide, reflecting solid audience turnout for a smart sci fi action thriller that blends a fast pace with a provocative premise and a neon future aesthetic, supported by concise set pieces and practical effects overall.

Its central conceit of time as money and the wrist countdown visuals became a recognizable shorthand for economic inequality in genre cinema. The movie fed debates about wealth, longevity, and personal freedom in a tightly plotted action setting, and its style inspired later sci fi thrillers with similar high stakes.

Critics greeted the premise with mixed to positive reactions, praising the brisk pace and social undercurrents while noting thinner character development. The film uses action to surface themes of class disparity, the ethics of immortality, and the human cost of a life priced in seconds, leaving audiences thinking about time.