Running Against Time

Running Against Time

Year: 1991

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: English

Director: Bruce Seth Green

A college professor discovers a way to travel back to the 1960s, hoping to stop his brother’s death in Vietnam and prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Instead, he becomes trapped in a time warp, unable to return to his own era or alter events, forcing him to confront the limits of his mission.

Running Against Time (1991) – Spoiler-Free Movie Summary & Plot Overview

Get a spoiler-free look at Running Against Time (1991) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.

In the quiet corridors of a university history department, David Rhodes teaches the past while mourning a loss that still feels raw: the death of his older brother during the Vietnam War. A chance encounter with a brilliant but eccentric physicist, Dr. Koopman, opens a door that most would consider impossible—a method to step beyond the linear flow of years. Fueled by grief and a fierce sense of responsibility, David’s obsession turns into a daring plan: travel back to the early 1960s, intervene in the events that set the conflict in motion, and perhaps spare his brother’s life.

The film unfolds in a world where the sleek, academic present collides with the charged, turbulent atmosphere of the 1960s. The tone is a careful blend of intellectual curiosity and emotional urgency, each scene pulsing with the weight of history and the fragile hope of rewriting it. As David steps into a bygone era, the narrative captures the stark contrast between the orderly lecture halls he knows and the streets alive with political tension, cultural upheaval, and the palpable sense that a single action could echo across decades.

By his side is Laura Whittaker, David’s partner whose own resolve and ingenuity become essential as they navigate the paradoxes that time travel inevitably presents. Their dynamic is grounded in shared love and a mutual willingness to risk everything for a chance at redemption. Together they confront the unsettling reality that the past may resist alteration, and that the very act of reaching back could strand them in a liminal space where cause and effect blur.

“Running Against Time” balances sleek, cerebral sci‑fi concepts with gritty, period‑specific texture, inviting the audience to contemplate how far one might go to protect those we love and what it means when history proves stubbornly immutable. The story promises a haunting exploration of memory, loss, and the thin line between destiny and choice.

Last Updated: November 29, 2025 at 04:45

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Movies about failed time-travel missions like Running Against Time

Stories where meddling with the past has unintended, bittersweet consequences.If you liked the bittersweet consequences and historical tension in Running Against Time, explore these movies where time-travelers attempt to rewrite history but face unexpected outcomes, blending sci-fi thrills with poignant drama.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist who gains the ability to travel to a pivotal historical moment, driven by personal loss or a desire for a better world. Their attempts to alter events are met with resistance from the timeline itself, leading to unintended paradoxes, personal danger, and a finale that often salvages a small personal victory from a larger historical failure.

Why These Movies?

These movies are grouped by their shared focus on the limitations of time travel, a tense and reflective tone, and a bittersweet emotional conclusion. They prioritize the emotional journey and philosophical questions over action-packed success stories.

Movies about fugitives in the past like Running Against Time

Characters trapped in a bygone era, fighting to survive and return home.Fans of the tense fugitive storyline in Running Against Time will enjoy these films where characters are trapped in a historical period, evading capture and struggling to survive while the clock ticks on their chance to return.

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Narrative Summary

The central journey involves a fish-out-of-water protagonist who becomes an accidental fugitive in a past they don't belong to. The plot is a steady-paced cat-and-mouse game, forcing the character to use their wits to avoid capture, often while being framed for a crime. The emotional core is a blend of survival anxiety and a deep, melancholic sense of displacement.

Why These Movies?

These films share a specific vibe of sustained tension and anxiety driven by a chase narrative in a historical setting. The experience is defined by the protagonist's desperation and the clever ways they adapt to a world that is both foreign and dangerous.

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Running Against Time Summary

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Running Against Time Summary

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Running Against Time Timeline

Characters, Settings & Themes in Running Against Time

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Running Against Time

More About Running Against Time

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