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Stop reading this review if you do not want to be spoiled of the main conceit of the movie.
Nyles, Andy Samberg, brings Sarah, Cristin Milioti, into a Groundhog Day situation, repeating her sister’s wedding day. It is impossible to discuss the movie without that ‘spoiler.’ Samberg plays a little more adult than we have come to expect, and it is refreshing. He still has some man-child tendencies, but they are tempered with his reasoned reactions to the situation he finds himself in.
Cristin Milioti is best known for her tiny stint as ‘the mom’ on How I Met Your Mother. It was a short role, so it is good to see her featured more completely. The chemistry that develops between Sarah and Nyles is believable. They are both struggling with the situation and Samberg is a good guide for Sarah as she tests the parameters of the situation. Montages are used effectively and avoid too much repetition, keeping the movie moving along.
One natural consequence of being trapped in the same day over and over is increasingly desperate attempts to break the cycle. Suicide is a natural solution and the movie takes it head-on. The discussion around it and the consequences of breaking the cycle through death are not discussed in depth. The biggest discussion around suicide is how to make it quick and as painless as possible. While you wake up fresh after dying, the process and pain of dying is something Nyles and Sarah experience. Nyles is effective in convincing Sarah to make death as quick and painless as possible. I think steering into suicide was a good choice and it is handled in a way that does not make the movie too heavy.
I like romantic comedies and I like Andy Samberg. This is an enjoyable rom-com with two great leads. Their on-screen chemistry is great and they both brought emotional responses from me. I laughed plenty and enjoyed all ninety minutes of this movie.