Netflix’s Time Cut currently holds the No. 1 spot on streamer, and for good reason. The film follows Lucy, played by Outer Banks star Madison Bailey, who lives in 2024. She loves space and receives a spot in the 2024 NASA internship program, but her news is quickly outshined by the anniversary of her older sister’s death. Summer, played by Ginny & Georgia‘s Antonia Gentry, is a bright and bubbly teen who was one of the four victims murdered in 2003 by serial killer, the Sweetly Slasher. The other victims were Summer’s close friends, Brian, Val, and Emmy. After his killing spree, the Sweetly Slasher was never caught and Summer’s death haunts her family over the years. Lucy was born after Summer’s death and her parents are often sad while also trying to protect Lucy from the outside world
On the anniversary of Summer’s death, Lucy goes into her room which has remained untouched. She plays music from the CD player and looks at the old pictures on the wall. She then discovers a note that reads “You’ll regret this,’ signed by “E.” She pockets it when her mom comes into the room.
Later that day, Lucy and her family go to visit the barn where Summer was killed and she finds a strange machine. The screen reads just a few days before Summer’s death in 2003. Lucy finds herself suddenly transported back in time through a funny montage of showing off the 2003 fashion of UGG boots and Juicy Couture tracksuits. But Lucy’s trip back in time becomes more evident when Summer appears.
The movie then follows Lucy’s moral dilemmas over time travel, constantly going back and forth over telling her sister the truth or sticking to the laws of time travel that her new friend Quinn encourages and staying silent. When she tries to help Val and Brian from getting murdered, another death occurs that wasn’t in the original timeline. Lucy then tells Summer that she’s from the future after she questions how Lucy could’ve known to go to the mall where the first murder took place. She also tells her that they’re sisters but doesn’t say that Summer ends up dying. When Lucy meets her parents in the past, she realizes how happy they are with Summer alive, even telling Lucy that they don’t want another child because one was enough. Heartbreaking.
This was a part of the story that was so interesting and impactful. It’s clear that in the present, Lucy lived in Summer’s shadow with people always bringing her up. This would upset Lucy because she never got to know Summer. But in the past, she does, which drives Lucy to tell Summer the whole truth, including the fact that she was only born because of Summer’s death. It’s after they save Emmy from the Sweetly Slasher that Summer confides in Lucy and tells her that she and Emmy are dating, but Summer’s afraid to come out to her parents. It’s a bonding moment that shows the blossoming relationship between the two sisters while also touching on the idea of: if you knew you were going to die tomorrow, what would you do?
Empowered by Lucy’s plan to stop the Sweetly Slasher, Summer kisses Emmy at the barn party that was originally where she died. The sisters, along with Quinn who is revealed to have loved Summer, fight the Slasher by trapping him in the barn and hitting him with their car. It’s then revealed that the Slasher is Quinn, but an older version of him who is bent on revenge and angry over the bullying and rejection he faced at the hands of Summer and her friends. Lucy is able to stop him by throwing herself back into the future where she kills him. But in a plot twist, Lucy goes back to 2003 and decides to stay with her sister.
While to some, this ending was unsatisfying, I thought it was the perfect end for Lucy. She had struggled so long with feeling like a ghost of her sister. But in 2003, she found a new side to herself, and even got into the 2003 NASA internship program. It was a happy ending for everyone, including Summer and Emmy’s whose relationship was accepted by Summer’s parents.
As for Summer and Lucy, they finally got the chance to be sisters. I loved the theme of family throughout this film because it wasn’t overshadowed by the horror aspects. There were sad moments with incredible character building as well as interesting plot points that made sense for a time travel movie. All in all, I thought the ending was super unique and fit the movie’s theme perfectly! Don’t mind me, just going in for my fifth re-watch!