"11:14" and Other Examples of Non-Linear Film

This post was originally written as part of an on-line forum submission for the "Art of Film" class that I'm presently taking:

I happened to catch "11:14" (dir. Greg Marcks, 2003) the other night on IFC. The film reminded me of "Memento" (dir. Christopher Nolan, 2000), in that the plot does not unfold in the typical linear fashion. (Special thanks to Livi for giving me the DVD!). In "Memento", the film progresses as a sequence of 5 minute scenes shown in reverse time order. The technique is used to simulate the inability of Guy Pierce's character to record long term memories.

In "11:14", a period of approximately 20 minutes is explored from 5 different points of view, each shown in its entirety. This makes for an engaging plot as initially unexplained and baffling events slowly become understandable in the context of their contemporaneous occurrence. It's almost like the film was a painting where the essential image is discernible from the start, but over time, continued enhancements transform it from a line drawing into a finished work of art.

The film's non-linear nature is comparable to "Sliding Doors" (dir. Peter Howitt, 1998) and "Run Lola Run" (German: "Lola Rennt") (dir. Tom Tykwer, 1999). In "Sliding Doors" we see Gwyneth Paltrow's character explore two different and mutually exclusive realities simultaneously using a "split-screen" editing technique, while in "Run Lola Run", the same time period is re-explored sequentially, with Franka Potente's character attempting to find the optimal solution to a situational conundrum (the death/incarceration of her boyfriend).

Continuing with "11:14", the cast consists of several recognizable actors including Barbara Hershey ("Beaches"), Clark Gregg ("The New Adventures of Old Christine"), Hilary Swank ("Million Dollar Baby"), Patrick Swayze ("Dirty Dancing"), Rachael Leigh Cook ("She's All That"), and Jason Segel ("Forgetting Sarah Marshall"), among others.

The plot is a bit harsh with two deaths being graphically portrayed. The one occurring somewhat comically "in flagrante", is contrasted with a commonplace happening (pedestrian/vehicular altercation). Both force the viewer to acknowledge the waste of a life cut short, and how our daily innoculous-seeming choices can affect our future.