Watch James vs. His Future Self

James vs. His Future Self is a 2019 Canadian comedy-drama film. It tells the story of James, a young and successful scientist who is working on a breakthrough discovery that could potentially change the world. Despite his career achievements, he struggles to find balance in his personal life, often neglecting his relationships in favor of his work.

One day, James is visited by his future self who has come back in time to convince him to give up on his work and focus on his personal life. Initially, James is skeptical about the time-traveling older version of himself, but gradually he comes to realize the consequences of his choices and the cost of success.

The film explores themes of regret, time travel, and the importance of balancing career and personal life. As James interacts with his future self, the audience is offered glimpses of his future and the potential consequences of his current choices.

The film is led by the talented Jonas Chernick who plays both the present-day James and the older, future version of himself. Chernick portrays the duality of his character convincingly, balancing the youthful energy of James with the tired weariness of his older self. Daniel Stern, best known for his role in the Home Alone franchise, plays the older self with a sense of drift, regret, and a sense of urgency.

Cleopatra Coleman rounds out the cast as James' love interest, Courtney. She brings a sense of grounded warmth to a character that could have easily been a manic pixie dream girl. Her relationships with both James and his future self create an intriguing dynamic that is full of emotion and depth.

The film's writer and director, Jeremy LaLonde, does an excellent job of balancing humor and emotion throughout the film. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, many of them provided by the younger and older versions of James as they interact with each other. However, the movie's humor never undermines the seriousness of its themes. Instead, it serves to highlight the absurdity of life and the fragility of relationships.

The film's time-traveling premise is treated with a level of intelligence and care that is not always present in contemporary science fiction. The rules of the universe are established early on, and the film doesn't fall prey to the pitfalls of time travel storytelling. Instead, it uses the concept to explore notions of fate and free will.

The movie's overall message is a heartwarming one. It highlights the importance of relationships and the fleeting nature of life. It encourages viewers to take stock of their choices and to ensure that they are living a life that they are proud of. It's a message that feels especially poignant in today's world, where cultivating meaningful connections is more challenging than ever.

Overall, James vs. His Future Self is a delightful and thought-provoking film that manages to balance humor, heart and science fiction effortlessly. It's a movie that will make you laugh and make you think, and it's one that you definitely don't want to miss.

James vs. His Future Self is a 2020 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 35 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.9.