A charmer

Rating: 7/10 (20 November 2017)

Initially, I wasn't convinced by this film, but as it developed, the situation matured, the characters grew, and I became thoroughly invested. What an intriguing concept this is, and how cleverly it is told. The repeating day formula could easily become hammy, unfunny and tedious, but it is constructed beautifully. The key to this is the absence of long-term temporal reference - we are stuck in the same day as Phil, but without knowing how much we haven't seen. We see relationships at key points, we see plans at their inspiration and at their culmination, and the way we are constantly made to play catchup and fill in the blanks contributes to a sense that we are sharing and matching Phil's relationship with his predicament. A simple premise continually manages to find new avenues to surprise us, without ever feeling as though its movements are purposeless. There is a fantastic sense of direction here, and it makes the film far deeper than initially expected. This film plays with you gently, and charms you into engaging in what appears a mundane setup. Very well done.