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From Time to Time

From Time to Time

Unlock the secrets of the past...

200992 minPGMidcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Director
Julian Fellowes
Starring
Maggie Smith, Dominic West, Timothy Spall, Alex Etel

A haunting ghost story spanning two worlds, two centuries apart. When 13 year old Tolly finds he can mysteriously travel between the two, he begins an adventure that unlocks family secrets laid buried for generations.

Where to watch

Where can I watch From Time to Time?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists From Time to Time streaming on Prime Video, The Roku Channel (free) and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

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Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about From Time to Time?

From Time to Time earns 6 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is From Time to Time worth watching?

From Time to Time's Midcredits score is the 69th percentile of all films, from 9.7K ratings across 4 sources. 65% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

69th percentile

Better received than 69% of films

76th percentile among Adventure66th percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)63rd
Approval (how many liked it)72nd

65 /100

63rd percentile of all films

72nd percentile among Adventure62nd percentile among 2000s

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 7.0 — solid but not unanimous.

65% liked it

72nd percentile of all films

79th percentile among Adventure70th percentile among 2000s
65% rated it 7–1035% rated it 1–6

Critics 43% · Audience 63%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

82nd percentile

9.7K ratings across platforms

75th percentile among Adventure75th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Worldwide gross$160K

21st percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both camps agree it is a gentle, old-fashioned ghost story set across two time periods in an English country house, with strong production design and a cast of notable British actors.

Fans praised

  • stellar ensemble cast led by Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville
  • beautiful period cinematography and atmospheric English manor setting
  • sweet, emotionally resonant family ghost story with heart

Detractors panned

  • tedious pacing and unengaging direction
  • wooden lead performance by Alex Etel; unlikeable protagonist
  • overly talky, literal script with clunky exposition

What stands out

ActingDivisive80

Maggie Smith and Hugh Bonneville praised; Alex Etel widely criticized as wooden

CinematographyDivisive75

lovely period visuals, paintings-like framing

AtmosphereDivisive70

cozy, nostalgic English manor mood; lacking for some

Emotional impactDivisive70

wept at ending; others found it manipulative or corny

Plot and storyDivisive60

derivative family mystery; logical but predictable

CharactersDivisive60

broadly drawn archetypes; some flat or one-dimensional

DialogueDivisive50

often stilted, exposition-heavy, and clunky

Pacing45

slow and drawn-out; loses momentum

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 16 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 13 points higher than critics.

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 18 points higher than non-US viewers.

Watch experience

What is From Time to Time like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something warm that leaves you smiling.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you hopeful. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
ContemplativeWarmBittersweet
Heaviest: late
Warm humor
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Warm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its time-travel and family history with earnest wonder, playing the material straight.
The rideThe film maintains a reflective, gentle atmosphere with emotional weight building toward the resolution of Tolly's family mystery.
StructureThe story unfolds in a conventional sequence as Tolly moves between the 1940s and 1805.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Hopeful.

The answer rests on this: HopefulWistful · 8% of films
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you with a warm, hopeful feeling about family heritage and a touch of melancholy for lost time.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% (this title) · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Time displacement: Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).

4% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeTolly travels back to the 1800s to uncover family secrets, a clear time displacement journey.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFamilybonds
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% (this title) · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% (this title) · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Family bondsMemory · 3% of filmsIdentity · 14% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Single lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the ties linking Tolly to his family across generations, the way family stories and memories shape who he is, and his search for connection to his missing father.
StanceThe film affirms the importance of family bonds and memory, treating them as sources of comfort and connection.

The world

Mid 20th centuryRuralDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Ilan Eshkeri
Settinga country estate in England, shifting between the 1940s and 1805
MusicA gentle, melodic orchestral score that underscores the film's warm, nostalgic atmosphere.

Content guide

Is From Time to Time okay for kids?

PG

From Time to Time is rated PG: “Rated PG for mild thematic elements and peril” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at minimal (0/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at minimal (0/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (0/100) and frightening material at mild (33/100). None has enough votes to rank yet.

Ratings in 2 other countries
  • Germany12
  • Sweden11
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (4 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (6 votes)
Profanity
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (2 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
too few votes to rank (3 votes)

Too few votes to rank this title overall (17 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does From Time to Time have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in From Time to Time?

Cast

1 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Maggie Smith
as Mrs Oldknow
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Dominic West
as Caxton
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Timothy Spall
as Boggis
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Alex Etel
as Tolly
Pauline Collins
as Mrs Tweedie
Eliza Bennett
as Susan
Rachel Bell
as Perkins
First film: No prior film role; they had worked in television.
Christopher Villiers
as Officer
Hugh Bonneville
as Captain Oldknow
Allen Leech
as Fred Boggis
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like From Time to Time?

Movies like From Time to Time include Belfast (2021), Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) and Summerland (2020). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films written by Julian Fellowes, and all are period dramas.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

11 of these 12 share its praise for acting. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with From Time to Time?

458 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: time travel. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.