Tick Tock (2000)

Sick Product of a Sick System

Just perfect...

It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This film is so confusing, you don't know who is going with who and eventually you don't really care. There is some interesting casting in this. Megan Ward a dumb blond, Kristen Minter a ruthless bitch and Linden Ashby as the guy in the middle who sleeps with both on their off nights. By the way Ashby is a dead ringer for Chris Potter, also a LMN favorite. Then we have David Dukes wasted, John Ratzenberger wasted in thankless roles. It was such a mix up of plot, focus and intentions. What is the screenwriter trying to say? My favorite part was when the blond bimbo shot the bitch. I cheered for she was that horrible. Ending was silly and ridiculous. No vote on this trite.

We stumbled across this movie on TV whilst on holiday in Croatia and watched enthralled as it developed. It's like watching a car crash: you feel awful for the people involved but you still can't tear yourself away.It's as if the script writer kept attempting to put in ever more unbelievable plot twists all the while thinking "they'll never go for this... or will they...?". The only thing that really annoyed us was the fact that Holden's body managed to extricate itself from the car boot with no help or explanantion.All in all this film made me appreciate the fact that as British TV has improved, there's now less room for this kind of risible American nonsense - and perhaps we're the poorer for it.

The many time shifts reminded me of the book "Slaughterhouse Five", by Kurt Vonnegut, but this movie was not as confusing as that book. Using those time shifts into the past in order to reveal some plot twists kept it interesting. Showing the spinning hands of a clock in order to alert the viewer of the upcoming time shifts did get old though. Carla's (played by Kristin Minter) constantly repeated comment "this will be better than what we planned" (or some variation thereof), which she used whenever things went wrong, also got old quickly.John Ratzenberger's performance as P.I. Clay Fairfield, was refreshing in a non-Cliff Clavin role.I must have missed something, but can anyone e-mail me to tell me how the body got out of the trunk about 3/4 of the way through the movie? (when shortly after that, Rachel Avery found it laying alongside the road).

To start off with my review on this flick I will say that if anyone is expecting an awesome cutting edge thriller then pass on my review. But if you have an open mind when it comes to direct-to-video flicks then read on. Now "Tick Tock" is actually not too bad of a thriller. Getting a pretty face like Megan Ward doesn't hurt at all. The movie does start off slow and it may not catch your interest, but hey it is only for the first about 15-20 minutes. Then when Megan Ward and pal are at the bar and a "cowboy" walks over to them to chat, the first thing Melrose Place viewers will do is laugh because for those of us who watched MP, Megan Ward played Connie and Linden Ashby played Dr. Bret Cooper "Coop" at the hospital, he plays this "cowboy" Travis. Anyhow, the director of this flick makes you think "what the?" when after certain things happen, the clock turns back and we see an in depth type of view of a character which will explain why a certain thing has happening at points in the story. This happens throughout the flick and definitely kept me interested. John Ratzenberger, Cliff from Cheers, is in this and he plays his small role actually good as a P.I. And David Dukes plays the rich husband,Holden,of Megan Ward's character Rachel. The plot is Rachel and Carla are planning to kill Holden and from there the story has lots of twists and turns. Even her husband has a certain plan. So everyone in the movie crosses paths one time or another in this movie and it is really cool how it is done. Sort of like 2 Days In The Valley. The cast is small and that is good so you will keep on getting into this story as each character is not what you think they are. The poorest acting out of this is done by Kristin Minter. Her acting is sub par compared to Megan Ward's and I think Megan is under rated. Was she not good in Encino Man? All in all this is a good thriller/mystery movie but the ending will make you say "what kind of ending is this?" I guess the director just couldn't come up with a great ending, but then direct to video movies/B-movies usually end that way. Oh and yes the usual lesbian type scene is in there. Megan and Kristin both share a kiss, where else, in the women's washroom at the bar. Megan Ward is sexy and maybe she will start to do some more of these types of flicks like Kari Wuhrer. 5 out of 10.