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7 Splinters in Time (2018) movie poster

Characters & Themes

7 Splinters in Time (2018) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2018 · 75 min · English
Echo score 35
JustWatch #12,070 12
Directed by
Gabriel Judet-Weinshel
Starring
Akiva Schaffer, Al Sapienza, Ashley Nicole Anderson, Austin Pendleton, Edoardo Ballerini, Emmanuelle Chriqui

A methodical detective's quiet life is shattered when he finds a man who is his exact double has been murdered. As unsettling memories surface and the lines between reality and fragments of the past become blurred, he reluctantly joins forces with an old friend. Together, they must confront a perplexing mystery of identity and time before the disturbing connection puts them both in danger.

On this page (8)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (4)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Movies like 7 Splinters in Time
  8. 8 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch 7 Splinters in Time (2018)

Where can you watch 7 Splinters in Time? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, Hoopla and Fandango at Home Free: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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4 main characters · contains spoilers

7 Splinters in Time Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of 7 Splinters in Time (2018), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Darius Lefaux

    played by Edoardo Ballerini

    Darius is a down-on-his-luck detective who finds himself in a perplexing situation when he discovers that the murder victim is himself. Throughout the story, he grapples with multiple versions of himself, confronting both comedic and dark aspects of his personality. His journey is one of self-discovery amid chaotic circumstances.

    • 🔍 Detective
    • 🤔 Self-Discovery
  • Babs

    played by Lynn Cohen

    Babs is portrayed as a curmudgeonly neighbor who represents a connection to Darius's somewhat mundane life. Her exterior toughness is paired with an underlying warmth, making her relationship with Darius a unique blend of friendship and support in his tumultuous world.

    • 👵 Elderly
    • 🏡 Home
  • John Luka

    played by Greg Bennick

    John Luka is an eccentric and hapless juggler whose life intertwines with Darius's. His loyalty and determination push him to help Darius in solving the mystery of their intertwined fates, revealing his own struggles with past trauma from time-travel experiments.

    • 🤹 Juggler
    • 🎭 Comedic Relief
  • Alise Spiegelman

    played by Emmanuelle Chriqui

    Alise is a captivating woman from Darius's past, whose presence reignites old memories and feelings. Her character adds depth to the narrative as Darius navigates their shared history, making her pivotal in exploring themes of love and regret.

    • 💖 Romance
    • 🌌 Nostalgia

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:31

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Setting

Where and When Does 7 Splinters in Time Take Place?

The setting of 7 Splinters in Time (2018): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

The events of the movie unfold in a contemporary setting, reflecting modern-day issues and the complexities of identity. The backdrop features elements of science fiction intertwined with comedic undertones, particularly in the context of time-travel experiments gone awry.

Location

Omphalos

Omphalos is a clandestine location that plays a pivotal role in the movie. It serves as the site where Darius and Luka confront the effects of a botched time-travel experiment. The area is shrouded in mystery and is crucial for unraveling the convoluted narratives that bind the characters.

  • 📍 Location
  • 🔍 Mystery

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:31

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3 major themes

7 Splinters in Time Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is 7 Splinters in Time (2018) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Identity

    The theme of identity is central to '7 Splinters in Time'. As Darius encounters alternate versions of himself, the struggle to understand who he truly is becomes paramount. This exploration leads to deep questions about selfhood and the impact of choices across timelines.

  • Time Travel

    Time travel serves as a catalyst for the narrative, complicating Darius's investigation and interactions. The characters grapple with the consequences of their past actions and decisions, illustrating how time can be both a friend and an adversary.

  • Romance

    Amidst the twists of fate, romance plays a significant role, especially between Darius and Alise. Their rekindled affection evokes nostalgia and regret, highlighting how love can transcend even the most bewildering of circumstances.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 at 21:31

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Character & theme questions

7 Splinters in Time Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about 7 Splinters in Time (2018): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

What is Omphalos in the movie?

Omphalos is a clandestine location that serves as the pivotal setting where Darius and Luka confront the aftermath of a botched time-travel experiment. This mysterious site is crucial for unraveling the convoluted narratives connecting the characters. The location is shrouded in mystery and represents the story's central hub for revealing the truth about the characters' intertwined fates.

  • omphalos
  • location
  • mystery
  • time travel
Q2

When does the story take place?

The events of the movie unfold in a contemporary, modern-day setting. The story reflects current-era issues and the complexities of identity, blended with science fiction elements and comedic undertones. While the exact year is not specified, the technology and atmosphere suggest a present-day backdrop.

  • time period
  • contemporary
  • modern setting
Q3

What role does identity play in the movie?

Identity is the central theme of '7 Splinters in Time'. As Darius encounters alternate versions of himself, the struggle to understand who he truly is becomes paramount. The movie explores deep questions about selfhood and how choices across different timelines impact one's sense of identity. The presence of doppelgängers forces characters to confront what defines them as individuals.

  • identity
  • theme
  • doppelganger
  • selfhood
Q4

How does time travel affect the story?

Time travel serves as the narrative catalyst, complicating Darius's investigation and all character interactions. The characters must grapple with the consequences of their past actions and decisions, illustrating how time can be both a friend and an adversary. The botched time-travel experiment is the root cause of the film's central mystery and the existence of multiple Darius versions.

  • time travel
  • experiment
  • timeline
  • consequences
Q5

Who is Darius Lefaux?

Darius Lefaux is a down-on-his-luck detective whose quiet life is shattered when he discovers that a murder victim is his exact double. Throughout the story, he grapples with multiple versions of himself, confronting both comedic and dark aspects of his personality. His journey is one of self-discovery amid chaotic circumstances as he investigates the mystery of his own fragmented identity.

  • daricus
  • detective
  • protagonist
  • doppelganger
Q6

Who is Alise Spiegelman?

Alise Spiegelman is a captivating woman from Darius's past whose presence reignites old memories and feelings. She plays a pivotal role in exploring themes of love, regret, and nostalgia. Their rekindled affection highlights how love can transcend even the most bewildering circumstances, providing an emotional counterpoint to the film's intense mystery.

  • alise
  • romance
  • love
  • character
Q7

Who is John Luka?

John Luka is an eccentric and hapless juggler whose life becomes intertwined with Darius's. His loyalty and determination drive him to help Darius solve the mystery of their intertwined fates. Luka himself struggles with past trauma from time-travel experiments, making him a character who understands Darius's plight firsthand.

  • john luka
  • juggler
  • supporting character
  • loyalty
Q8

Who is Babs?

Babs is Darius's curmudgeonly neighbor who represents a connection to his somewhat mundane life. Despite her tough exterior, she shows underlying warmth and serves as a unique blend of friendship and support in Darius's tumultuous world. She provides grounding human connections amid the chaos of the central mystery.

  • babs
  • neighbor
  • supporting character
Q9

How does romance factor into the story?

Romance plays a significant role through the rekindled relationship between Darius and Alise. Their connection evokes feelings of nostalgia and regret, highlighting how love can transcend even the most bewildering circumstances. This romantic subplot provides a brief emotional counterpoint to the central mystery, though it is ultimately overshadowed by the intense identity-focused narrative.

  • romance
  • relationship
  • emotional core
Q10

What is the overall tone of the movie?

The dominant tone is tense and disorienting, stemming from the blurring of reality and memory. The intensity remains high due to the constant threat of a murderous doppelgänger and existential danger of fractured identity. The fast-paced narrative leaves little downtime, with the complexity arising from a non-linear, fragmented structure involving multiple protagonist versions and obscured pasts.

  • tone
  • mood
  • intensity
  • atmosphere

Movie threads

More Movies Like 7 Splinters in Time, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes 7 Splinters in Time tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Mind-Bending Identity Crisis Movies like 7 Splinters in Time

Stories where characters grapple with their own shifting, unreliable reality. If you liked the unsettling doppelgänger mystery and psychological fragmentation in 7 Splinters in Time, explore these similar movies. This list features thrilling stories about fractured identities, unreliable memories, and characters confronting unsettling versions of themselves, perfect for fans of complex, paranoid sci-fi.

  • mind-bending
  • paranoid
  • disorienting
  • unsettling
  • thrilling
  • psychological
  • Tone: tense, disorienting, paranoid
  • Pacing: fast, driven by mystery
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative typically begins with a seemingly normal protagonist encountering an anomaly—a double, a gap in memory, or a glitch in reality. This triggers a spiral of investigation and self-doubt, where the line between truth and illusion blurs. The plot structure is often complex and non-linear, mirroring the protagonist's fractured mental state, leading to a climax that redefines their identity.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core focus on the psychological horror of a crumbling identity. They create a consistent vibe of paranoia and disorientation through fast pacing, high intensity, and complex plots that challenge both the character and the viewer to piece together a fragmented truth.

Complex Sci-Fi Puzzle Thrillers Similar to 7 Splinters in Time

Intricate, fast-paced stories where solving a scientific enigma is a race against time. For viewers who enjoyed the high-stakes time-travel mystery and relentless pacing of 7 Splinters in Time, this collection features similar complex sci-fi thrillers. Discover movies with intricate plots, high-intensity investigations into scientific phenomena, and ambiguous, thought-provoking endings that will keep you guessing.

  • thrilling
  • mind-bending
  • anxious
  • cerebral
  • urgent
  • unsettling
  • Tone: thrilling, tense, mind-bending
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The plot is built around a central scientific or metaphysical paradox that needs to be solved. The narrative is driven by discovery and deduction, with new clues and complications arising rapidly. There is little downtime, as the characters are constantly reacting to new threats and information, building towards a climax that often leaves profound questions unanswered.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their blend of intellectual sci-fi concepts with the urgency and tension of a thriller. They share a specific mix of very complex narratives, fast pacing, high intensity, and an overall tone that is both thrilling and intellectually demanding, resulting in a gripping, mind-bending experience.

If you liked this

Movies Like 7 Splinters in Time

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Every angle

7 Splinters in Time (2018) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about 7 Splinters in Time in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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