Unusual that I enjoyed a film involving the supernatural so much

Rating: 8/10 (9 March 2000)

It's not common that a film involving the surreal or supernatural - especially time travel - is so successful. I think the reason for this is that once you enter that realm, literally anything goes. That concept may seem exciting at first, but in practice it can become so illogical and have so little basis in reality that ultimately we can't relate to it. Consider how silly time travel can become. For example, in "Back to the Future", looking at a photograph and seeing the people in it start to fade?? C'mon. Or dealing with "paradoxes" such as going back in time and killing your grandfather. What now?
Not trying to explain how time travel occurs, this movie skirts those issues by simply backing up and reliving a day (there is no chance to "travel back to the future" - you must "live through it".) One of the reasons it is so successful is that while ultimately a happy movie, the truly horrible feelings that would inevitably arise in this situation are also explored. Finally living through his day to the next day is a metaphor in this case for the maturing of the main character. He does not know what is happening to him, but in the end he has been allowed a period of experimentation and growth. Haven't we all fantasised about that? For example, having 10 fresh chances to approach a person of the opposite sex we want to meet and seeing which works best? In the meantime the film explores this journey with both humour and sorrow. Having 10 fresh chances to try something sounds great if it's your *choice* - but not so great if you never get to stop the carousel and say "That's a keeper - let's get on with my life now!" Few actors other than Murray could play this role so well - he seems perfectly cast. Enjoy!