'Too tall, too skinny, too orange'. The line may not have the fiery impact of Hugh Grant's expletive-ridden salvo in Four Weddings and A Funeral but like that unforgettable opening scene, it establishes the latest Richard Curtis rom-com with a perfect measure of wit, rhythm and self-deprecation. For that's exactly Tim Field's (Domhnall Gleeson, son of Brendan, also known as Harry Potter's Bill Weasley) curse, one which has left the 21 year old with an awkward, near-nerdy disposition. That's until his father (Bill Nighy) reveals that the men in their family can travel through time. Doubting Tim suddenly discovers the capacity to rewrite those awkward, near-nerdy social blunders and puts his secret talent to excellent use: securing the girl of his dreams (Rachel McAdams).

Take this temporal leap of faith and About Time soars as Tim navigates dating, marriage, parenthood, life, death, past and future with all the bitter-sweet passion they encompass. Curtis creates a very real world for his characters and elicits wonderfully natural performances from the entire cast. Typically eccentric folk populate the margins - Tim’s immaculate Uncle Desmond is a delight as is Tom Hollander’s fiery playwright - but they don’t overwhelm the film, freeing Curtis to play a straight-ish hand as Tim’s time-travelling adjustments force him to choose between his troubled sister or his daughter’s future. It is here that About Time takes a welcome, darker turn; Curtis is a master at embarrassing humour but he also knows how to dial back and extract real, gut-felt emotion.

Overuse of wobbly cam is distracting while casting McAdams, no matter how delightful, niggles in its obvious attempt to shore up US box office, Notting Hill style. But they're minor concerns about an otherwise thoroughly charming film that taps the funny bone and tugs heart strings with equal legitimacy (pack tissues, you'll need them once Nick Cave scores the inevitable funeral). Undoubtedly his most mature work, About Time finds Curtis in a sweet, warm, funny and thoughtful place that will strike a chord with mothers, daughters, sisters, brothers, fathers and their sons. Especially their sons.

// COLIN FRASER

Previewed at Dendy Opera Quays, Sydney, on 23 July 2013