In “Forrest Gump,” Tom Hanks navigated through historical events. ⁢However, in his latest film, time proves to be⁤ a challenging ⁤adversary for him and his co-star ⁢Robin Wright as they delve into a ⁣poignant narrative.

In “Here,” it feels ​as though Hanks and a bustling⁤ storyline are at a standstill, lacking direction.

Fans ‌of “Gump” will⁤ appreciate the reunion of Hanks with co-star Robin Wright, alongside director Robert Zemeckis and co-writer Eric Roth. “Here” (★★ out of four;‍ rated PG-13;‍ hitting theaters this Friday) is an intriguing experiment in filmmaking that employs a stationary camera to illustrate the ​evolution of life and humanity across millions of years, from prehistoric ⁣eras ⁣to current times.

The overly emotional and excessively sincere narrative inspired by Richard McGuire’s graphic novel feels more like ‌a gimmick than anything substantial. It is filled with numerous moments and characters, but ​ultimately leaves ‍viewers feeling unsatisfied.

The film “Here” opens with stunning visuals of dinosaurs traversing through ancient swamps. It presents a cosmic event that signifies an ‍impending apocalypse.

The story begins by taking‌ us from the distant⁣ past, including an ice age, and moves through⁢ the times of indigenous people ​and colonial periods ‍before focusing on its main narrative. From a specific viewpoint⁣ in a living room, we⁣ meet Al Young (played by Paul Bettany), a troubled World War II veteran, along ‍with his wife Rose (Kelly Reilly) ‌in the 1940s. They later have an artistic son⁣ named Richard (Tom Hanks). Richard ⁢falls in love with Margaret (Wright), and when they find out they’re expecting as⁢ teenagers,⁢ they decide to‍ marry⁤ and start their family together, leading to Margaret moving in with them.

Throughout the years, family gatherings during holidays and significant moments in history, such as The Beatles’ appearance on Ed Sullivan, serve ⁤as‍ the backdrop for this ​story. The main focus is ​on‌ the emotional journey of this family. Margaret harbors⁢ resentment due to Richard’s lack of drive, which‌ leads ‌her ⁢to feel trapped in a home that⁢ never truly​ feels like hers. Meanwhile, both Richard and Al are preoccupied with financial struggles, ⁢while Margaret and Rose find themselves sacrificing their own aspirations. While the ⁢themes are quite somber, the performances are compelling enough to make you cheer for them as they navigate their ⁣challenges.

It doesn’t require​ a time ‌traveler to predict ⁤what’s ahead.

Zemeckis ⁣cleverly⁢ conceals the movie’s shortcomings with his stylish storytelling technique, incorporating pop-up windows‌ (a ‍reference to the film’s origin) to shift ‍between⁢ different time periods, sometimes showcasing various eras in a single scene. This is where the film may‌ overreach a bit, intertwining stories of other families who have lived in the house to emphasize ⁢the ⁣message: “time flies, so make every moment count.”

The story features⁣ a‌ variety of characters across different​ eras. In 1900, there’s a whimsical pilot (Gwilym Lee) and ​his aristocratic wife (Michelle Dockery) who take up residence in the newly built house. Then, ​during the 1930s and ’40s, a glamorous model (Ophelia Lovibond) and an inventor (David‍ Fynn) call it home. Fast forward to the ​21st ‍century, where a Black family (Nikki⁣ Amuka-Bird, Nicholas Pinnock and Cache Vanderpuye) ⁢now lives⁤ there. Additionally, an ⁤Indigenous couple (Joel Oulette and Dannie McCallum) lived ⁢in the area long before the house was⁣ ever constructed. ⁤While these characters add some vibrancy⁢ to the story, they remain underdeveloped and their stories⁢ often sidetrack from the⁢ main narrative.

The Young family members take on⁣ more of​ a‌ background role in ‌the story. Their​ daughter, Vanessa (played by Zsa Zsa Zemeckis), particularly feels underdeveloped; her character revolves around⁣ her interests in Jazzercise and law, and not much else. This might be due to her limited presence in the living room scenes.

Although it’s nice to see ⁢Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunited like in “Forrest Gump,” the use ⁣of digital de-aging technology for their characters is somewhat distracting.It⁢ may feel a bit ⁢surreal, but the⁣ film ‍becomes more engaging with younger versions of Bettany and Reilly; seeing them as teenagers is somewhat unsettling. Thankfully, their older counterparts won’t haunt your dreams later on.

The film’s wandering storyline showcases its ambitious and unique nature. ‍It includes some‍ delightfully quirky elements, like Benjamin Franklin’s illegitimate son owning a large colonial house ​nearby. There ‍are moments when you’d prefer‍ to be in that ​depicted setting ​