One More Time

I randomly came across this movie and thought I'd give it a chance. I usually don't have high hopes for these types of movies, they're more of just something to throw on. However, I was pleasantly surprised with this one. The nostalgia was so fun to watch. I'm 32 so I grew up around the same time. The set design, costumes, hair and makeup, music choices, etc. Were really well done. Took me back in time! The story also had me reflecting on my past and things I could relate to growing up as well as now. Pulled at the heart strings for sure, but had silly moments too. I would recommend it, also recommend watching it in the original language not dubbed.

On her 40th birthday, Amelia is hit by a bus and wakes up in her bed to her parents singing "Happy Birthday". She reluctantly realises that she is 18 again and that the year is 2002. Her best friend Moa is throwing a party for Amelia, who turns out to be the popular hot girl ("every boy in school is in love with you" as one of them shyly tells her). In her 2024 (?) life not so much, she is bored, alone and feels lost in her adulthood. However, Amelia has to relive her 18th birthday over and over again with slight variations - in a very well known manner. (Plus: the movie has a few peculiar resemblances to Mårlind and Steins sadly underrated "Storm" (2005), more on that below.)

Nice story, nice acting, nice setting and costume (pink and pastels in abundance), nice 2002 markers, "nice" everything. The soundtrack is nice too. You get it.

"One More Time" could've been a complete disaster, painfully drowning in niceness - if it weren't for one thing: Hedda Stiernstedt in the lead, as Amelia. She alone carries the movie on her shoulders and makes it quite watchable, albeit immensely predictable. Stiernstedt is an absolutely perfect cast for this role, even at 35 she has the youthful look that actually works ... with just a grain of suspension of disbelief.

Well, the story is... nice, and keeps rolling in well-familiar tracks. If it's worth your time depends on how much you are into feel-good coming-of-age romantic drama, and how much pink/pastels your eyes can stand. And yes, if you are a fan of Teddybears Sthlm (I am!) it helps, too.

With that said, it wouldn't hurt if Netflix levels up the request for writing skills, just a tad or so.

Similarities to "Storm"? A certain kind of accident in key scenes, and moreover: the answer is hidden in a secret box. Yup.

Just because the plot is to relive a significant day and as a result become a better person, does not put this Swedish movie in the same class with the incomparable Bill Murray. It doesn't even put it in the same school.

First the dubbing is dreadful. All the voices have rhe flat affect of dialog read off a script.

The second issue is the appearance of Amelia who is the same actor both as an 18 year old and a 40 year old. As a result, I was confused as the scenes shifted back and forth.

Third too much vapid giggling. That alone was enough to give it a reduced rating.

Fifth generally insipid acting and script. The ending was barely worth the time spent getting there.

I wouldn't have wasted my time but a NYTimes reviewer gushed over it.

Maybe if I was still 18, it would have appealed to me, but somehow I doubt it.

As "One More Time" (2023 release from Sweden; 85 min) opens, Amelia is celebrating her 18th birthday. We then skip to day, as Amelia celebrates her 40th birthday. She quits her lousy retail job and instead goes to the pub to get drunk. Afterwards she fumbles and stumbles, and gets hit by a truck. When she wakes up, it's her 18th birthday again... At this point we are 10 minutes into the movie.

Couple of comments: this Swedish film liberally borrows and steals from Groundhog Day, even putting in Groundhog Day as part of the storyline. It also reminds of 19 Going on 30. In other words: this movie does not shine because of its (lack of) originality. But what it does do, and very well at that, is to showcase how a 40 yo woman looks back at her 18 yo self, and sees the many mistakes that she made back then. So the movie is filled with regret and it makes you realize that, when you get down to the very essence, the thing that matters more than anything else is: BE KIND to one another, starting TODAY.

"One More Time" started streaming on Netflix just the other day. At a mere 85 minutes, this movie just flew by, and I quite enjoyed it, more so that I had expected. If you liked Groundhog Day or 13 Going on 30, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

I wouldn't say I was excited to watch this because we know how all time travel and time loop movies go. Similar to Groundhog Day Amelia, a 40 something woman, who's quite a loser, relives her 18th birthday day after day. And while it's fun, she realises that life at 18 is really self centered.

Although the movie is predictable, its beautiful to see the different interactions of the characters, all while realising that it's not about her. It's the nuances that do it for me. The story of rekindling relationships, of starting again even if it's 22 years later or having a second chance to do things right.