High school is a volatile time, but Tim Timmerman thinks he has it all figured out. Just like many cinematic high students of the 80’s and 90’s, Tim has big dreams. He dreams of being great, while doing as little as possible and coasting by on his charisma. This film is reminiscent of many 90’s films, most notably Ferris Bueller, but also has nods to other 80’s and 90’s movies like Teen Wolf and Say Anything.
Tim Timmerman is the semi-autobiographical story of director Cameron Sawyer, set in 1994, and was filmed and based in Utah. It begins just as many high school movies do, with a prank on a rival school. This scene has important implications throughout the movie and shows Tim that even seemingly frivolous decisions can have consequences later in life. He decides to run for class president so he can pad his resume and get into Yale. While he has the charisma of a politician, he doesn’t have the grades.
At first, Tim reminded me a lot of Ferris Bueller. He crossed into all high school demographics, and everyone was taken with his magnetic personality, even the teachers. But when after my initial impression, Tim was vulnerable just like the rest of us, and there was a relatability. He wasn’t impenetrable like Ferris Bueller, and there was a part of him that was more like Ferris Bueller’s best friend Cameron. This made Tim a fascinating character that was full of growth by the end of the movie.
Just as fascinating were some of the other character’s in Tim’s world. Sydney Anderson is played expertly by Chelsea Maidhof. She is the rival school’s class president, and also a deaf student whose father is a Senator. Tim ignores her at first, but when he learns of her connection to the Senator, he becomes interested in her. She stretches and challenges Tim to think about more than just himself.
There were some dream sequences that felt overly long or unnecessary that involved President Clinton. However, I did find a subplot involving toy guns very humourous. I was also touched during some of the scenes that involved Tim doing service at the School for The Deaf.
Perhaps the best part for someone my age was reminiscing about the clothes and fashion that was worn by the actors. I recall wearing some of the exact clothes of the day.
Overall, this film will appeal to many ages. I would recommend this movie to those who grew up in the 80’s and 90’s and to families who want to see a clean comedy about high school. I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars.
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