The Child in Time

Play trailer

The Child in Time

2017,

1h 30m,

Crime/

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

79%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

51%

100+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

51%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Stephen Lewis, a successful author of children's books, is confronted with the unthinkable when his only child disappears in a supermarket. Stephen and his wife, Julie, quickly find themselves torn apart by the loss.

Critics Consensus

The Child in Time skillfully resists melodrama, trusting the finer details of its story -- and the actors bringing them to life -- to land with a slow-building, devastating impact.

Read Critics Reviews

Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

Jul 11, 2018

The ending, which might have made a serviceable starting point for a second half, feels trite and unsatisfying. That said, the pairing of Cumberbatch and Macdonald is terrific.

Go to Full Review

Allison Keene

Collider

Jul 11, 2018

4/5

The time motif plays an important and almost supernatural role in the story, but its effects are more poetic than anything.

Go to Full Review

Hanh Nguyen

IndieWire

Apr 2, 2018

A-

There is hope, there is another side for those left behind, and for The Child in Time it is hard won, but builds to this conclusion deliberately and beautifully.

Go to Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

Mar 23, 2020

1.5/4

...a lackluster adaptation of a rather disappointing McEwan work.

Go to Full Review

Michelle Garrett Bulsiewicz

Deseret News (Salt Lake City)

May 15, 2019

While such a premise seems like a tear-jerker, the story thankfully leans away from sentimentality. Instead, it's a more subtle look at loss and love - if you can keep track of what is going on.

Go to Full Review

Ani Bundel

WETA

Jan 31, 2019

The reason to tune in and watch this series is the pairing of Cumberbatch and McDonald, hands down.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Kylo S

Jan 30, 2019

The speed of the film is probably a bit too slow for the average audience. This film is not focused on entertaining, but instead on telling a devastating story and it does this with such delicate realness, that the viewer finds himself involved with the plot. Furthermore it has one amazingly impactful moment, that is in its own way subtle but can shine in this film because of the whole setting and tone of the rest of the material. I'm sad that audience has given it such a bad score, it really deserves better.

See more

Rey M

Sep 23, 2018

A couple of parents replace their missing 4-year-old daughter by conceiving a brother. Eros wins the battles, Thanatos triumphs over the wars. (Mauro Lanari)

See more

Ron M

Sep 14, 2018

An incredibly hard film to watch. If you decide to take up the challenge, have a box of tissues to hand. The film deals with the loss of a child (by way of kidnapping according to the book, but it is not really addressed in the film) and how the parents cope with the loss. Both Benedict Cumberbatch & Kelly Macdonald do a fantastic job. The story is heart wrenching and had me feeling it as tho the loss was my own. Begging to find out what happened and where she was. Unfortunately real life is not so kind. A film I won't forget.

See more

Ron P

Sep 7, 2018

The parts about the lost child and how her parents dealt with it was truly dramatic but the rest was confusing and a bit disconnected from the actual plot, I believe it would've been more effective if it was more about the situation at hand.

See more

Jul 15, 2018

Just a pointless film depicting a parents worst nightmare with nothing to offer the viewer but misery

Rey M

Apr 11, 2018

An interesting, wrenching, heartbreaking, but ultimately hopeful storiy of childhoods as they exist in time, as we lose them. grieve for them, but they are ultimately born anew. Excellently acted.

See more

Read all reviews

Julian Farino

Director

Benedict Cumberbatch

Stephen

Kelly Macdonald

Julie

Stephen Campbell Moore

Charles

Saskia Reeves

Thelma

Andrea Hall

Policewoman

4.3.2.1.

34%

42%

4.3.2.1.

Watchlist

Centigrade

40%

22%

Centigrade

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Centigrade

Shangri-La Suite

29%

Shangri-La Suite

Watchlist

Sacrifice

70%

50%

Sacrifice

Watchlist

Canopy

75%

33%

Canopy

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

10 Stars Who Will Own the Summer 2018 Movie Season

View more photos

Synopsis

Stephen Lewis, a successful author of children's books, is confronted with the unthinkable when his only child disappears in a supermarket. Stephen and his wife, Julie, quickly find themselves torn apart by the loss.

Director: Julian Farino
Producer: Grainne Marmion
Screenwriter: Stephen Butchard, Ian McEwan
Production Co: British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: British English
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 3, 2018
Runtime: 1h 30m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings