Written by Colby Day and directed by Andrew Stanton, this science fiction drama centers around the connection between science and human existence. It won the Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, awarded each year at Sundance to a film containing a scientific element.
The film unfolds across three timelines: the end of the Neanderthal period, the present day, and more than 400 years into the future. In each era, we witness the full cycle of life — birth, love, loss, and death — while observing the tools, technology, and communication of the time. Despite vast differences in mechanics and advancement, the emotional threads of the human experience remain strikingly familiar.
One particularly meaningful element from nature appears in the earliest timeline and continues forward through millennia — a quiet but powerful symbol linking past, present, and future.
Visually, the film is both intimate and expansive, shifting from raw natural landscapes to sleek futuristic environments.
Rashida Jones is Claire, a brilliant, postgraduate anthropologist working at a university lab studying ancient human remains. Daveed Diggs is Greg, her fellow student, later husband and father to their gifted son whose brilliance will outshine both his parents. His extraordinary intellect, innovations and inventions may ultimately pave the path for the survival of the human race.
Kate McKinnon delivers a surprisingly grounded performance as Coakley, a dedicated astronaut on a mission that could determine the fate of mankind. She not only must keep the spacecraft functioning but also safeguard and nurture all the living beings making up the precious cargo.
The score is composed by Thomas Newman, who also collaborated with Stanton on “Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E,” and “Finding Dory.”
“In the Blink of an Eye” is rated PG-13 and runs one hour and 34 epic minutes. Don’t miss the chance to experience it on the big screen — though as of February 27th it’s streaming on Hulu.
