Line #4 Film/BadTiming


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rsz_badtiming.png]]
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3	''Bad Timing'' is a 1980 British erotic PsychologicalThriller film directed by Creator/NicolasRoeg.
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5	Lovers Alex Linden ([[Music/SimonAndGarfunkel Art Garfunkel]]) and Milena Flaherty (Creator/TheresaRussell) meet in Vienna. But before that, they break up. And before that, they have sex for the first time. But before all that, they have sex for the last time. This all comes after she is rushed to the hospital after an attempted suicide. [[AnachronicOrder It's just that kind of story.]]
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7	Also features Creator/HarveyKeitel as Inspector Netusil, a [[DefectiveDetective self-admittedly bad detective]], who interrogates Alex while Milena's fate hangs in the balance in a nearby emergency room. The story of the doomed relationship unfolds via this interrogation, and as such is presented out-of-sequence, often returning to a couple key points of the narrative as the detective repeatedly questions Alex about the parts of his story that don't add up.
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9	Eventually the timeline of the movie jumps to events after the interrogation, as the detective continues his investigation, which leads him down some interesting paths that involve Milena's estranged husband and secret government operations.
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11	But all that isn't really the point. The real focus of the movie is of the obsession and instability that governs the two lovers' tryst, and the dark side to the lust that fuels it. Be prepared for [[PsychoExGirlfriend plenty of histrionic screaming fits]] and [[DestructiveRomance uncomfortable sex scenes.]]
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13	----
14	!!''Bad Timing'' provides examples of:
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16	* AnachronicOrder: The story is presented entirely out of order, starting with a scene from the middle of the relationship playing under the title credits, jumping to Milena's entry to the hospital at the end of the relationship, and continuing like that for the rest of the film, shuffling the events of the timeline like a deck of cards.
17	* ConvictionByContradiction: Played with. Inspector Netusil definitely tries to use a couple of these (the station left on in Alex's car radio at the time he picked up Milena, his choice brand of cigarettes found in her apartment) to indict Alex. But Alex calls him out on it:
18	-->'''Netusil''': ''fter momentarily losing the thread of his line of questioning'' Where was I?\
19	'''Alex''': Making incorrect assumptions.
20	* DestructiveRomance: Milena is very adulterous, lies she's never been married, makes a lot of scenes and never wants any commitment. Alex can't let her be, though.
21	* [[spoiler: DudeShesLikeInAComa: Alex eventually has sex with Milena, while she is unconscious]].
22	* EverybodySmokes: Cigarettes are featured in just about every scene in the movie being smoked by nearly every character.
23	* GaussianGirl: A strange case as it's used in one scene late in the film to accentuate Milena's vulnerability and sadness, not beauty.
24	* MarketBasedTitle: The film was billed in the US as ''Bad Timing[=/=]A Sensual Obsession''.
25	* MatchCut: This film depends on these to create narrative unity throughout despite the chaotic timeline.
26	* OohMeAccentsSlipping: Keitel's Inspector Netusil is an Austrian who occasionally speaks with a thick Brooklyn accent.
27	* RapeAsDrama: The twisted nature of the relationship arrives at its logical extreme at the end of the film when we see [[spoiler: Alex rape a drugged-up Milena before calling the paramedics to save her life.]]
28	* ShoutOut:
29	** Alex and Milena visit Belvedere Palace in Vienna, checking out works by Creator/GustavKlimt and Egon Schiele (the latter one's pictures can be seen later in the film as well).
30	** Milena is seen reading ''Literature/TheShelteringSky'' in one scene.
31	** "Invitation To The Blues" from Music/TomWaits' album ''Music/SmallChange'' is heard during the opening credits.
32	** When Garfunkel and Keitel's characters are hanging pictures to the wall Music/LudwigVanBeethoven's "Ninth Symphony" is playing.
33	** "The Same Old Story" by Music/BillieHoliday is heard over the end credits.
34	** The film is referenced in the song "Bad Timing" on the album ''Music/PocketRevolution'' by Music/{{dEUS}}, because it is the favorite film of their lead singer Tom Barman. On that same album the track "Nothing Really Ends" also references the movie briefly:
35	--->''The accusations fly like in that movie, you know the one where Creator/MartinSheen waves his arm to the girl in the street''
36	* SirSwearsalot: Milena. [[ClusterFBomb Cluster F Bombs abound in her dialog]].
37	* {{Yandere}}: Milena increasingly embodies this over the course of the movie.
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Context Film / BadTiming