Stream It Or Skip It: ‘See You Yesterday’ on Netflix, a Wild Time-Travel Story Framed with Today’s Harsh Realities

Filmmaker Stefan Bristol once pestered Spike Lee for an internship, and he wisely relented. The result is major Netflix distribution for his film See You Yesterday, a sci-fi-drama offering a twisty new definition of the word “timely”: it’s about a high-schooler who invents a time machine and uses it to go back a few days to save her brother after he’s unjustly shot and killed by a police officer. Notably, Lee produced the film under his 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks banner, and Bristol’s work is clearly influenced by the iconic director. But does Bristol’s execution match his ambition?

SEE YOU YESTERDAY: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?

The Gist: High-school juniors CJ (Eden Duncan-Smith) and Sebastian (Dante Crichlow) stare down the clock in their classroom, counting the minutes until summer vacation. But that doesn’t mean they’re done working on their science project: time machines! Edison and Hawking had nothing on them. They connect some doohickeys to some whatchamajigs, strap on backpacks, smartphones and goggles, and zap! They jump back a day or three, but can only hang out for 10 minutes before they need to return to their present timeline.

At first, CJ and Sebastian plan to wipe the floor with their science-fair competition, and hopefully score some scholarships. But they live in the Bronx, where police brutality is a scourge in the African-American community. CJ’s older brother Calvin (Brian “Astro” Bradley) becomes a horrible statistic and news story after a trigger-happy cop guns him down. After the funeral, a grief-stricken CJ decides to go back in time to save his life. Easier said than done, of course.

What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: See You Yesterday is a curious blend of socio-political commentary a la Lee’s classic Do the Right Thing, the provocative time-space implications of Back to the Future and gee-whiz Spy Kids-style lo-fi special effects.

Performance Worth Watching: Duncan-Smith shows considerable thespian skills here, grounding the movie with equal parts earnestness and intensity.

Memorable Dialogue: “Time travel — great scott!” exclaims CJ and Sebastian’s science teacher, played by Michael J. Fox himself.

Single Best Shot: Bristol likes to spin the camera on the horizontal axis — check out the nifty turntable shot in the trailer above. But trumping that stylistic flourish is the shot he employs when CJ returns from a disastrous trip back into time, and the camera spins her world literally upside-down.

Sex and Skin: None.

Our Take: See You Yesterday is perfect for Netflix, because it would be an impossible fit within the theatrical ratings system. Its vivid characters and goofy sci-fi elements appeal to teens and younger audiences, but its language would earn it an R rating. And the weight of its tragedy sometimes feels at odds with its conceptual silliness. It would give marketing departments fits.

Yet the movie is brimming with Bristol’s enthusiasm and pointed sense of purpose. He’s intent on grounding a fantastical story with harsh realities, and there’s significant poignancy in his characters’ desire to use their crazy invention to fix things rather than escape them. CJ and Sebastian’s time-travel trials and tribulations are existentially provocative, and result in consequences that transcend preposterous situations.

It’s clear that Bristol is using time travel as a plot mechanism to explore big ideas. His spirit and vigor are prevalent even when the film struggles to seamlessly blend disparate tones. The movie doesn’t always “work,” and its tonal bumpiness is often symptomatic of a director’s first-time feature. But Bristol makes sure his passion and purpose are on the screen at all times.

Our Call: STREAM IT. See You Yesterday is easy to admire, and you’ll like it despite its flaws.

John Serba is a freelance writer and film critic based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Read more of his work at johnserbaatlarge.com or follow him on Twitter: @johnserba.

Stream See You Yesterday on Netflix