‘Coming Out with the Help of a Time Machine’ Is a Short Film with the Complexity of a Feature

Short films have the unique task of fitting a lot of story within a limited timeframe, and this is certainly true about Naman Gupta’s Coming Out With the Help of a Time Machine. Nestled in the See Me, Feel Me section of the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival, this film paces through how overwhelmed one feels when revealing their truth for both themselves and their loved ones.

Sid (Karan Soni; Deadpool) is sitting in a booth at a diner, waiting anxiously, for his traditional Indian parents to arrive. Tonight is the night, and this is the place where he plans on telling his parents that he is gay. After they arrive and his attempt at revealing the news doesn’t go as planned, he presses a button on his watch — which is a time machine— to go back in time and try again.

As you can imagine, the film has several comedic moments resulting in Sid having to reset the day more than once. Everything from the waiter spilling a beverage, to the mother’s overreaction causes Sid to rewind the clock. But, there comes a point where Sid has to stop searching for a perfected moment that may never come and face the reality of his situation head-on.

Coming Out with the Help of a Time Machine illustrates the courage it takes to share your truth and to accept whatever outcome it brings, including the possibility of losing family. It also touches on the necessity of coming out. At any time, even in resetting the clock, Sid could’ve decided not to come out at all. He could’ve enjoyed a lovely dinner and waited another day. But, not time was ever the right time. Nothing was ever perfect. And in the end, he willingly succumbed to the fallout.

Co-written by Gupta and Janki Parekh, the sci-fi dramedy unfolds to present a film about revelation, sadness, pain but also resolution, and acceptance. Viewers outside of the LGBTQ+ community can identify with the shared theme of bravery and will to risk it all for the sake of one’s happiness. There are no do-overs in real life. And in the end, as it was in Sid’s case, there will be love waiting to accept you and all that you are on the other side.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars