‘The Man from the Future’ a time-travel movie with heart

Wagner Moura plays João “Zero” Henrique, a gifted but embittered scientist working on developing a new energy source. When a freak accident sends him back in time, João realizes that he can use the opportunity to prevent his college girlfriend Helena (played by Alinne Moraes) from betraying him and ruining his life. In the process, however, he learns a thing or two about himself and his place in the world.

“The Man from the Future,” a Brazilian film, checks all the right time-travel boxes: temporal paradoxes, alternate timelines, time loops and cool special effects. All the while, however, the film is much more introspective than, say, “Back to the Future.” It spends quite a lot of time examining its characters and their relationships. This is not to say, it isn’t funny, though. The movie is a comedy first and most of the gags survived translation.

One of the key moments that “The Man from the Future” keeps returning to is a concert, and the filmmakers use this as an excuse to fill the movie with great Brazilian and rock music circa 1991.

Between the soundtrack and the plot, the film is a fun little trip through time.

[email protected]. Nick Gonzales is one of The Durango Herald newsroom’s resident film buffs. He welcomes movie recommendations. Follow him on Twitter @lackingzones.