IMDB Summary:
A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer’s identity.
FYA Summary:
As part of the most popular sorority on Bayfield University’s campus, Tree (Theresa) partied way too hard last night. When she wakes up at 9 a.m. on her birthday, Tree’s in some random, nerdy guy’s dorm room and the day only devolves from there, especially when she’s murdered walking to a Sigma party. But as, ah, luck would have it, Tree wakes up right after being stabbed…on her birthday…in some nerdy guy’s dorm room…
Tree has no idea how or why she’s stuck in a time loop, but she better figure out who is trying to kill her soon, because every time she’s killed and has to wake up in that same single twin, her body gets a little weaker.
Familiar Faces:
I guess I saw Jessica in La La Land but I would never be able to tell you who is in that movie beyond Emma and Ryan, so this was my “first” introduction to the actress, and I really enjoyed her in this role! Tree starts off a pretty shitty person (sleeping with a married man, sleeping with friends’ crushes, rude and thoughtless to others; the list can go on), but she gains depth and growth as she’s stuck reliving this horrible day over and over, and Jessica plays her with the right amount of intelligence to still make her sympathetic.
Israel Broussard as Carter Davis
Carter is the nerdy guy whose room Tree keeps waking up in, and he’s completely star-struck by her campus princess mystique. But he’s also one of the few people who believes Tree’s stuck in a time loop, and offers her the emotional support she desperately needs. You may recognize Broussard as Lara Jean’s sister’s ex, Josh, from To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.
Couch-Sharing Capability: High
I’ve recommended this to surprisingly way more people than I expected to. It’s not too gory and not overly scary, and has some genuine laughs and college nostalgia (if you’re Of A Certain Age), so I think it’d be a fun sleepover movie (if you all like horror movies, that is) or watched snuggled on the couch with your significant other for a vibey October date night. Clocking in at a little over 90 minutes, this movie knows how to not overstay its welcome, and it does a good job at portraying a time loop without making each repeated scene feel stale.
Recommended Level of Inebriation: Red Solo Cup
We’re headed back to college, baby, and that means foamy keg-beer from a plastic cup. Maaaybe a lukewarm Natty Ice in a can or Bud Light (because the calories!). Put down that martini glass—it’s breakable!
Use of Your Streaming Subscription:
We put this movie on for a laugh during 2020 when we were short on fun, fully expecting it to be not that great. But I was so wrong! There’s a sub-genre of horror done right where it’s gotta have a good mix of campy, poking-fun-at-itself humor; smarts; horror tropes, and, good jump scares. This managed to hit all those right notes for me. I even ended up liking the sequel (and you gotta ask yourself: how does this kind of movie even have enough plot for a sequel, but you’d be surprised)!
I turned this on again only to skim through some parts as I was writing this post and ended up rewatching the entire thing again and had just as much fun as the first time, so perhaps it’s destined to become part of your spooky season catalog, too.
