Clocking the T

Clocking the T follows Dave (Ben Hicks), an internet troll who lies for a living. The narrative also follows Candace (Jana Nawartschi), a woman who works in human resources at a blood lab. In this romantic comedy, they meet through an online space and attempt to explore the possibility of a relationship forming as they embark on a journey of self-discovery.

While the premise is intriguing, the piece struggles to fully engage the viewer within the absurd characterisation of Dave and how this impacts his lifestyle and the relationship that blossoms with Candace. The central performance from Ben Hicks is intentionally grating to emphasise his deceptive personality as an internet troll. On the other hand, Jane Nawartschi gives an endearing performance as Candace and is far more compelling thanks to her likeable personality and nuanced characterisation. The screenplay employs screwball dialogue between the characters, which, unfortunately, creates an awkward and stilted impression, making it demanding to engage with. Pieces of dialogue throughout can also become difficult to hear, due to distortion in the audio and baffling use of ADR. There’s a lack of cohesion in the narrative, and not much to chew on outside of the aimless endeavours the characters go through, and this can make the experience and overall conclusion feel unearned and ultimately underwhelming.

Specific formal choices are commendable thanks to the unique colour grading and editing that flows incredibly well into a scene change. For example, the edit utilises the day and night cycle simultaneously, changing, and this is an impressive feat from an editor’s perspective, making the pacing flow more smoothly. The piece can suffer from lethargic pacing due to the rom-com genre being overdone to a fault, and this take on that specific genre rarely offers anything memorable outside of the filmmaking. The direction, unfortunately, feels bland with an inadequate use of blocking and struggles to elevate how unengaging the narrative becomes. However, the musical score effectively anchors the more intimate character moments, and the use of original music is another factor that aids the emotional resonance throughout. Another standout that plays well into the online dating approach is the use of text pop-ups as characters are interacting through technology.

One of the substantial issues with the overall investment is the lack of chemistry between the two leads. Dialogue between the two feels stilted and awkward, making it challenging to engage with their relationship. However, as the film progresses, their chemistry does feel more natural and heartwarming to endure. The supporting cast, unfortunately, feels robotic in their performances due to a lack of character development and the way in which they oddly interact with Dave and Candace. Dave’s characterisation bafflingly amounts to relatively minor, and the overall culmination of his character arc feels like an afterthought. Thankfully, the viewer is given closure to Candace’s arc, and some emotional catharsis is received. It's just a shame the story ends abruptly, with both characters not receiving satisfying character growth.

Clocking the T is unfortunately a poor attempt at reinventing the rom-com genre with a central romance that just does not land, and a slow-burning narrative with a lack of thematic flair. While the musical score is energetic and engaging, and specific editing choices are commendable, the two lead performances lack the required chemistry to captivate the audience into their struggles triumphantly, and the overall resolution fumbles the culmination of Dave’s character arc.