Futra Days Review
When a relationship ends, it’s natural to look back and try to pinpoint the moment everything went wrong. Futra Days, however, takes the opposite approach — exploring whether the ability to move forward in time could save a relationship before it even begins. The film, directed by Ryan David, is a high-concept science fiction tale set against the gentle hues and pulsating mood of Los Angeles.
David wastes no time, throwing us into Sean’s world (Brandon Sklenar, It Ends With Us). He’s a semi-successful musician, stuck in the emotional aftermath of a recent breakup. Alight with the spark of a potential new romance but bogged down by the worry of wasting even more time on the wrong path, Sean seeks the help of a budding time-travel company run by the eccentric Dr. Walter (Rosanna Arquette). The company allow Sean to spend some time in the future with thrift-shop worker and aspiring singer Nichole (Tania Raymonde), so he can decide if pursuing a relationship with her in the present is worth his while.
It’s an ambitious swing to make a movie set in the already exhausted genre of time travel, and credit where it’s due to David, because Futra Days offers a fresh and interesting perspective on the concept. The film is self-aware enough to acknowledge its status as a small drop in an ocean of time-based narratives, making a fun reference to Back to the Future almost right off the bat. It’s a smart approach, instantly letting us know that the movie isn’t taking itself too seriously.
Futra Days’s greatest strength lies in Sklenar and Raymonde, who share a believable on-screen chemistry. As we journey with Sean through their already established relationship, we feel the undeniable flaws and hurt feelings that lurk beneath the surface of their dynamic. David explores the relationship from both sides, allowing us to experience the daze of falling in love with Sean, contrasted with the sting of being overlooked in a failing relationship with Nichole. The film gently echoes the relationship decay in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, letting us simultaneously experience the relationship from both its beginning and its end.
However, an interesting concept can only hold things together for so long. Unfortunately, David doesn’t allow us to get to know his characters beyond surface-level traits and expositional details. The script feels unusual, as every character seems overly self-aware. They all speak in clichéd therapist jargon, making it easy to tune out of conversations in exasperated boredom. While there are a few sincere moments, Sean and Nichole’s interactions often feel unnatural and forced. This may be because we never really get to know Sean or his true intentions. He travels to the future seemingly on a whim, saying things like, “I feel like I love her, but I don’t even know her.” This line works as a way to push Sean into the future, where he can explore his potential love interest, but once we’re there, and see how miserable he’s made Nichole and how horribly the future version of himself has treated her, he becomes a stranger—unmoored from the character the film had established up until that point.
Instead of focusing on unravelling what’s happened in Sean and Nichole’s relationship to bring them to such an unhappy place, Futra Days starts jumping around in time. Suddenly, as it nears its end, we experience a Mulholland Drive-style reality shift, where Sean and Nichole’s dynamic changes dramatically. They swap roles, possessions, perspectives, and even careers. It feels like a bonkers decision to abandon the original story in favour of adding unnecessary complexity. As a result, everything the film sets up is left unresolved. Sean doesn’t learn anything about himself or why his relationship with Nichole failed so horribly. His journey to the future feels completely aimless, and it’s hard to understand what the point of any of it was.
The film is too preoccupied with delivering edgy twists and turns, forgetting to earn them. For instance, the title card appears eighteen minutes into the film, with almost no justification. If you’re going to take big swings as a filmmaker, your movie has to be strong enough to support them. Unfortunately, Futra Days is so focused on concept that its characters, script, and cohesiveness fall behind. While there are some genuinely interesting moments, the film ultimately feels like a mishmash of diluted ideas from other, more accomplished filmmakers.
Still, it is fun to watch and moves at a zippy pace. Although flawed in places, Ryan David shows promise and a knack for exploring big ideas, and it will be exciting to see where he goes next as a director.
★★
On digital channels from July 21st / Tania Raymonde, Brandon Sklenar, Rosanna Arquette, Jordan Christian Hearn / Dir: Ryan David / Archstone Entertainment
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