The Present

Not every plot twist will make sense in this family version of Groundhog Day. So the basic premise is not original. I've learned long ago that originality is not all that important. What matters is the fact that we've got very good roles written down for a cast who knows how to deliver when they have a very good role written for them. And it works - we quickly learn to care for this dysfunctional family, and since we care we stay through to the end. Pacing is just quick enough so we don't notice the bits that make less sense, and if we do notice, as I already said - it doesn't really matter.

It's not a masterpiece, it doesn't pretend it is. It's what my title said - a well-done fun movie. If that's what you're looking for, you'll get it here.

This is a comedic family drama fantasy about a couple with 3 kids who are on the verge of their separation. With the help of the old magical grandfather clock, their kids trying to stop their parents from separating. The movie showed the story from many points of view. Every time they rewind the day, it started from somebody else's point of view. And it gave the audience a chance to understand and relate to all of the family members. This is a funny, touching and beautiful family movie. I recommend this one to watch with your family. The acting is decent, the story is good, and it has a decent ending.

A cinema release without any prior reviews on a few major websites?! How about that!

I gotta say, 'The Present' surprised me big time! The lack of awareness that I had for it prior to watching (to be expected based on the earlier mentioned, evidently), a bog-standard poster and a meh-sounding premise meant that I wasn't expecting much from this 2024 flick. However, I had a seriously good time viewing it!

It's, in my opinion, a well crafted movie and, unexpectedly, quite amusing, it is also extremely touching when all is said and done. Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear make for a solid onscreen pairing, while the trio of youngsters in Shay Rudolph, Easton Rocket Sweda and Mason Shea Joyce - even if the latter has less to work with - all give good performances.

One bad thing about me leaving the first review is if everyone else dislikes this, so here's hoping that a barrage of low-rated reviews aren't forthcoming!😆 Hey-ho, I had fun with it and that's all I can say!

The main issue with this movie is how the movie cant seem to decide which demographic its for. Is this a kids movie? Definitely not. Theres sex jokes, condom jokes, implied sex, and tons of other stuff that would lead to you having some really awkward conversations with your kids afterwards ("mommy, what did that guy mean when he said that the girl was a 'virgin'?") is this a movie for adults? Ummm... nope. The tone and premise is just way too childish and silly for that either.. so who is this movie for?

Its also got plenty of other problems under the surface as well. The actor playing the therapist was just annoying, the middle child max is just an extra in the first 2 thirds of the movie before suddenly deciding he wants to be an actual character in the final act. Also some of the sources of conflict were just dumb, like oh no, the dad is renting out a bathelor pad for when he moves out? Thats terrible for... some reason. I will say though that i did like it how whenever the movie relived a day it didnt re-show everything beat for beat, it only showed the stuff that changed from the previous day, that definitely saved a lot of filler.

Its just... meh. It just feels like a movie that came out a couple decades too late, it literally feels like a movie from the 80s or 90s. Its not terrible, but its just not completely compatible with any specific demographic.

This reviewer has a weakness for time travel story arcs. Oddly, even now, the Gold Standard for TT movies remains Groundhog Day; and, for series, the Janeway Trekkie episodes. As consumers of entertainment, we as a culture have now come to the point where a time travel story has to be 'different' to get attention. At that, THE PRESENT 2024 delivers. It is very clever. It all takes place in the present but, paradoxically, the present keeps getting altered in subtle ways. Up to you to spot that. The script and direction are ... sharp. There is no pandering of any kind to the audience. In fact, the viewer is actually expected to approach the movie like an interactive crossword puzzle, and puzzle it out dynamically. As the story unfolds. The characters are interesting, and the actors deliver. Upbeat tone. Pleasant ending. In other words -- yet another paradox. This is the kind of light and fluffy movie they used to make ... before anyone ever heard of Time Travel movies. ((Designated "IMDb Top Reviewer." Please check out my list "167+ Nearly-Perfect Movies (with the occasional Anime or TV miniseries) you can/should see again and again (1932 to the present))