REVIEW: “TIME”
A Rollercoaster of Emotions—But Worth Every Second
by Viktoria Popovska
The opportunity to review the film “Time,” an Amazon Original documentary directed by Garrett Bradley, presented itself to me in an email from my editor. After doing a quick Google search about the movie, I emailed back practically jumping for the chance to cover it.
With the world still reeling from the murder of George Floyd and many other Black men and women at the hands of law enforcement, I hoped that the movie would give me a better understanding of our country’s broken criminal justice system.
Going into the advanced screening on Oct. 6, my expectations were already pretty high; by the end of it, they were not only met, but exceeded. I had hoped the movie would find a way to move me and help me understand the tedious bureaucracy of the prison system, but I was not ready to be left completely in tears by the story.
A montage of home videos featuring and recorded by Sibil Fox Richardson opened the film; the heart-string tugging, six-minute masterpiece set the tone for the rest of the movie. Presented fully in black-and-white, the movie tells Fox Rich’s story of struggle and motivation to get her husband, Rob G. Richardson, out of prison.
The movie was composed of videos taken by Bradley as she follows Fox’s life with her six sons, as well as home videos. Rob faces a 60-year prison sentence with no parole for an armed robbery both he and Fox—who was sentenced to only 13 years and only served three and a half—committed while they were young and desperate.
Left alone to raise their six children, Fox juggles life as a single mother while fighting to get parole for her husband. Bradley chose to follow Fox’s savior arc while intermittently going into a focus on her thoughts and emotions about the twenty years she lived without her husband.
The film’s title, “Time,” perfectly represents the years Rob spent in prison while his children grew up and his wife fought for her husband’s freedom. Switching from a past perspective to present perspective takes the viewer on a somber rollercoaster ride through the hurdles of the prison system.
“Time” can be streamed as of Oct. 16 for everyone through Amazon Prime, and if you haven’t watched it yet, I definitely recommend it. It is a heavy movie and you might shed some tears, but trust me: The beautiful final scene makes the rollercoaster of emotions all worth it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I gave you spoilers—you’ll just have to take my word for it.