The Infinite Man

Overview

It's a time-travelling romantic dramedy shot in the desert on the cheap, but what The Infinite Man lacks in size it makes up for in brains and heart. In that way, the film is a lot like its protagonist, the jumpy, obsessive, hopelessly romantic Dean (Josh McConville). A scientist of non-specific genius, Dean wants desperately to give his girlfriend, Lana (Hannah Marshall), the perfect anniversary weekend. Instead, his controlling behaviour ends up driving her back to her ex (Alex Dimitriades). Not to worry though. Dean can just casually invent a time machine and give the holiday another go. And another. And another. And another.

Supported by the same South Australian funding initiative that helped pay for 52 Tuesdays, The Infinite Man is the rare sort of film that feels invigorated, rather than hamstrung, by its obvious financial constraints. Limited to just three cast members and a single, isolated location — an abandoned desert motel — first-time writer-director Hugh Sullivan has very few crutches to fall back on, and is instead forced to draw on a deep well of creativity to ensure his movie is a success.

And what a success it is. Sullivan's script pulls from all manner of time-travel scenarios, including The Terminator, Back to the Future and a healthy dose of Primer. Each time our hero travels back in time, the situation grows steadily worse, as he finds himself interacting, and them competing, with different iterations of himself. It's not always easy to keep track of which Dean is which, but to be honest that's part of the fun. Sci-fi fans will delight in piecing the puzzle together — and after multiple viewings, we can confirm that the layers line up.

Similarly sharp are the film's comedic sensibilities, riffing not just on the paradoxes of time travel but also sex, jealousy and love. McConville is brilliant as Dean, a perpetually insecure 'nice guy' who goes from endearing to pathetic to just plain creepy. At the opposite end of the alpha-male spectrum is Dimitriades, hilarious as Dean's dim-witted, javelin-throwing rival, who can't seem to acknowledge his relationship with Lana is over. Marshall is also great as the movies' perpetual straight-woman, although it's shame she's not given a bit more comedic stuff to do.

But what really cements The Infinite Man as special is how it captures what it feels like as a relationship falls apart. To Dean in particular, the intricacies of time travel are nothing compared to the mysteries of the heart. His overwhelming need to recreate what has been lost is a compulsion that nearly everyone can understand.