Bad Timing

Year: 1980

Runtime: 123 mins

Language: English

Director: Nicolas Roeg

ThrillerMysteryDrama

Alex Linden, a Vienna psychiatrist, meets Milena Flaherty through a mutual friend. Although he is older, he is drawn to her youthful, carefree spirit. Their friendship quickly deepens into a passionate, obsessive affair despite Milena’s marriage. The relationship spirals into terror, culminating in Milena’s overdose and hospitalization, after which Alex is arrested by Inspector Netusil.

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Timeline & Setting – Bad Timing (1980)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Bad Timing (1980). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Location

Vienna, Bratislava, Ouarzazate, New York, California

The film unfolds across a series of settings, anchored by Cold War Vienna as a tense, cosmopolitan backdrop. It traverses the border to Bratislava, hinting at Eastern Bloc control and fragile personal freedoms. The story also spans Morocco's city of Ouarzazate and later New York, culminating in a late sequence near the Waldorf-Astoria. This globe-trotting backdrop intensifies the romance's exhilaration and danger.

🏙️ Vienna 🛂 Bratislava 🎬 Ouarzazate 🗽 New York 🌴 California

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:55

Main Characters – Bad Timing (1980)

Meet the key characters of Bad Timing (1980), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:55

Major Themes – Bad Timing (1980)

Explore the central themes of Bad Timing (1980), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:55

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Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.

Movies about obsessive relationships like Bad Timing

Stories of all-consuming passion that curdles into destructive obsession.If you were captivated by the toxic, obsessive affair in Bad Timing, explore more movies like it. This collection features intense psychological dramas and thrillers centered on passionate relationships that spiral into self-destruction, jealousy, and control.

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Narrative Summary

These stories typically begin with an intense, magnetic attraction that quickly deepens into a co-dependent or controlling dynamic. The narrative charts the gradual erosion of boundaries and sanity, often leading to a climax involving a transgressive act or psychological collapse that leaves the characters shattered.

Why These Movies?

Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on the volatile chemistry of obsessive relationships, their dark and intense tone, and their exploration of themes like jealousy, control, and psychological unraveling. They offer a similarly heavy, psychologically taxing viewing experience.

Slow burn psychological thrillers like Bad Timing

Deliberate, atmospheric narratives where tension and unease accumulate relentlessly.Fans of the deliberate, unsettling pace of Bad Timing will find more movies like it here. Discover similar slow burn psychological thrillers and dramas where tension builds gradually through atmosphere and complex character studies, leading to a powerful, often bleak, climax.

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Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread unfold patiently, often using non-linear structures or deep character focus to let dread seep in. The central conflict is usually internal or interpersonal, with the tension stemming from psychological manipulation, moral decay, or the unbearable weight of past actions, culminating in a devastating revelation or collapse.

Why These Movies?

These films are united by their masterful control of pacing and atmosphere. They share a preference for psychological depth over plot speed, using a slow build to create a profound sense of unease, claustrophobia, and inevitable tragedy that resonates long after the film ends.

Unlock the Full Story of Bad Timing

Don't stop at just watching — explore Bad Timing in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Bad Timing is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Bad Timing Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Bad Timing, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.

Bad Timing Timeline

Track the full timeline of Bad Timing with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Bad Timing Spoiler-Free Summary

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More About Bad Timing

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Bad Timing: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

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Discover movies like Bad Timing that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.