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Based on the premise of The Time Traveler's Wife, Chicago librarian Henry (Bana) has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel randomly. Though he often disappears from her life for long periods of time, he tries to build a romantic relationship with Clare, an artist (McAdams).[6]Young Henry is in a car accident with his mother; she is killed, and he survives by inadvertently time traveling. Back at the scene moments later, Henry is helped by an older version of himself who has traveled back. Unable to control the timing or destinations of his traveling, Henry finds himself drawn to significant people, places, and events in his life, but is incapable of changing events beyond the minor differences his presence creates.Twenty-something librarian Henry meets a slightly younger Clare for the first time; overjoyed to see him, Clare explains that she has known him most of her life, or at least older versions of him. They begin a relationship, which is challenged by Henry's disorder. His sporadic time traveling is further complicated by the fact that he is completely naked when he arrives at his destination, and from a young age he has learned how to pick locks and steal to acquire clothes and survive his travels. Among his getaways are many visits to young Clare; from present-day Clare's diary he gets a list of dates when he visited her, and gives those to young Clare so that she can be waiting for him with clothes. Present-day Henry and Clare marry, though he actually time travels away before the ceremony and an older version of himself arrives in time to step in.Henry's disappearances take their toll on his relationship with Clare. His disorder allows him to win the lottery by having the numbers in advance, but also makes having a child with Clare seemingly impossible, as Henry's genes cause their unborn fetuses to time travel. After numerous such miscarriages, Henry has a secret vasectomy to end their suffering. Clare soon gets pregnant one last time — by a visiting younger version of Henry — and is able to carry the baby full term. Henry travels forward in time before the child is born, and meets their daughter Alba as a preteen; she tells him that she is a time traveler too, but has increasing control over when and where she travels. She also tells Henry that he will die when she is five, a fact which Henry keeps from Clare upon his return to the present. Young Alba is visited sporadically by her preteen self, who ultimately tries to prepare the younger girl for Henry's death. A devastated Clare soon finds out what is to come. Later, Henry time travels and is shot by Clare's father as he hunts; he returns in time to die in Clare's arms. A younger Henry later visits Alba and Clare, telling them he hopes he will visit again but not to spend their lives waiting for him. |
