One More Time

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.

We all have regrets in life, and some we wish we can go back and change. It feels like Peggy Sue Got Married(1986) and Groundhog Day(1993) mix together, and I liked the way the movie makes reference to both of them.

Amelia is very much alone on her 39th birthday, finds a time capsule which and her old friend made when they where eight, suddenly finds herself in 2002 on her 18th birthday, but soon realizes she's in a time loop, and is not sure on how to get out of it.

A well acted film by everybody acting here. Parts where Amelia looks at the time loop has a blessing and a curse. I say this is a movie you should check out.

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.

We love time loop type movies and were leery of the ratings in the 5's. However we took a chance and quite enjoyed the film. Funny, and with a heart.

To get to the minimum number of characters I'll again say don't believe the bad reviews. Similar to Groundhog day and even has a clip from that movie. The main character evolves like Bill does, day after day.

I also like that at least some of the characters look like real people and not your typical pretty/handsome movie characters - though there's plenty of that too I suppose. But the best friend is a big girl which you don't see that often.

So - do watch it!

I love foregin films and today i have been on a Swedish tear. I came across this in reference to another film I had seen.

This is not at all my scene man but none the less I watched it and was absolutely entertained. I adore the fact that they point out Groundhog Day (one of my favourite films) within the movie to really enunciate the situation.

I mean think about it, what better way to pay homage to one of the greatest films of all time, by re-introducing it to an entirrely new era and age. Absolute kudos for the way this was brilliantly done.

The film itself was anything but typical. Instead of getting better things tend to gradually get worse, its amazing. It has some rather funny moments and i gotta say it took some balls for some of these scenes.

The cast were great and I love the adaptation figures from past to present. The casting was done quite well and everyone played their part perfectly.

I feel this deserves a much higher rating, based upon the overall quality. It moves along without skipping a beat it really does feel like you're back in 2002. I'm sure much more of it would be relatable if I was more coloquially in touch, but I got most of it regardless.

A truly enjoyable film that transcends generations. The ending especially, could rub you one way or the other. However the way it plays out is a testsment to the writing and something you don't expext, because you're too busy feeling however you feel about it.

Brilliantly done.

Entertainment Value 7.5/10 Overall Rating 8/10

A trip down memory lane or perhaps opening a time capsule. If you're a parent of teenagers, this might be a good way to bond and/or embarass yourself, for better or for awesome, depending on your level of humor.