The Child in Time (film)

The Child in Time is a British television film directed by Julian Farino, adaptation of the 1987 novel of the same name by Ian McEwan. The film premiered on BBC One on Sunday 24 September 2017 and stars Benedict Cumberbatch.^[3][1]

The Child in Time
Film poster
Genre	Drama
Based on	The Child in Time by Ian McEwan
Written by	Stephen Butchard[1]
Directed by	Julian Farino[1]
Starring	Benedict Cumberbatch Kelly Macdonald Stephen Campbell Moore Saskia Reeves
Composer	Adrian Johnston
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Executive producers	Helen Gregory[1] Benedict Cumberbatch Adam Ackland David Boulter Lucy Richer Rebecca Eaton Stephen Butchard
Producer	Grainne Marmion[2]
Cinematography	David Odd
Editor	Kristina Hetherington
Running time	90 minutes
Production companies	SunnyMarch TV[1] Pinewood Television
Original release
Network	BBC One
Release	24 September 2017 (2017-09-24)

Cast and characters

• Benedict Cumberbatch as Stephen Lewis, a successful children's book author whose daughter goes missing.^[1]
• Kelly Macdonald as Julie, Lewis' estranged wife^[2]
• Stephen Campbell Moore as Charles, Lewis' best friend^[2][3]
• Saskia Reeves as Thelma, Charles's wife^[2]
• John Hopkins as Home Secretary
• Beatrice White as Kate Lewis^[4]

Production

The film was announced on 15 February 2017, as the first commission for Pinewood Television and SunnyMarch TV for BBC One, with Benedict Cumberbatch cast as Stephen Lewis.^[1] Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Campbell Moore and Saskia Reeves joined the cast in April 2017. Filming started in April 2017 in London.^[2]

Locations

Film locations in London included a Co-op supermarket in Crouch End, Hornsey Town Hall and the National Theatre in Lambeth. Other locations include Shingle Street, a hamlet on the Suffolk coast.^[5] The family was depicted as living in Maida Vale and several exterior scenes were filmed around Elgin Avenue.

Reception

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 81% based on 21 reviews, and an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Child in Time skillfully resists melodrama, trusting the finer details of its story -- and the actors bringing them to life -- to land with a slow-building, devastating impact."^[6] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 83 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".^[7]

References

1. Tartaglione, Nancy (15 February 2017). "Benedict Cumberbatch To Star In, Exec Produce 'The Child In Time' For BBC, Masterpiece". Deadline.com.
2. Mitchell, Robert (4 April 2017). "Kelly Macdonald Joins Benedict Cumberbatch in BBC Drama 'The Child in Time'". Variety.
3. Wollaston, Sam (25 September 2017). "The Child in Time review – an agonising portrayal of panic and guilt". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
4. "Who is in the cast of Benedict Cumberbatch's BBC drama The Child in Time?". Ratio Times
5. "Benedict Cumberbatch's family drama, The Child in Time, filmed in Suffolk and London". The Location Guide. 25 September 2017.
6. "The Child in Time (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
7. "The Child in Time Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 23 November 2018.

External links

• Official website
• The Child in Time at IMDb