Before I Fall (2017) User Reviews

Better than I was expecting

[ReganRebecca · 7/10 · 16 May 2017]

I'm pretty much sick of teen movies and I'm pretty sick of repeating movies too but I gave this one a shot and I'm not sorry I did.

Before I Fall is about Sam Kingston (a lovely Zoey Deutch), a stereotypical popular and pretty mean girl who is part of a popular mean girl crew. On cupid day (a day where the students at high school send each other flowers) Sam plans to lose her virginity to her longterm boyfriend Rob. Only at a party he gets drunk and makes out with another girl. Also crashing the party is Juliet, a former friend of Sam's who accuses her and her friends of being pathetic and bitches causing them to retaliate and throw drinks at her. Later that night as they are heading home the car Sam is in crashes but instead of ending up in the hospital... time loops and Sam wakes up on cupid day again. From here on she must figure out why time keeps looping for her and how she can stop it.

Not the most original of plot lines and some of the writing is really bad and cliché. However Before I Fall is surprisingly watchable and that's down to the actors who are really great. Deutch in particular makes a really strong compelling lead. She gives the film her all so that even though a lot of the revelations and dialogue are trite in her hands it feels very real and warm. The film is also very beautiful, director Ry Russo-Young makes it very beautiful and compelling to watch.

Not a revolutionary addition to the day-that-keeps-repeating genre, but a decent film nevertheless.

Not as run of the mill as you might expect

[Sergiodave · 7/10 · 17 June 2020]

Watched this movies late at night on Netflix with low expectations when I realised it was going to be an American High School Groundhog Day without the laughs. Don't turn off the movie after 30 mins and you might get a pleasant surprise. Far better than I hoped for.

Surprisingly Good Teen Film

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 30 September 2018]

The popular Samantha Kingston (Zoey Deutch) goes to the high-school on the day known as Cupid´s Day with her best friends Lindsay Edgecomb (Halston Sage), Ally Harris (Cynthy Wu) and Elody (Medalion Rahimi). Sam mistreats her little sister and her parents at home. She plans to lose her virginity with her boyfriend Rob Cokran (Kian Lawley) during the night. She is invited to go to a party at the house of her schoolmate Kent McFuller (Logan Miller), who has a crush one her, but she despises him. Sam and her friends mock the outcast student Juliet Sykes (Elena Kampouris) at the restaurant. During the night, Lindsay is cruel with Juliet that leaves the party in tears and Rob is totally drunk. Sam decides to go home with her friends but the car hits something and overturns and Sam dies. However, one the next day, Sam wakes up on the Cupid´s Day and she believes she had a nightmare. But soon she realizes that the day is repeating exactly like her dream. Did she have a premonition?

"Before I Fall" is a surprisingly good teen film with the story of a teenage girl trapped in the last day of her life. Based on the Sisyphus legend, the protagonist has the chance to make amendments to her futile life being kind to people that love her and becoming a better person before moving on. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Antes que Eu Vá" ("Before I Go")

A thought provoking and heartwarming tale

[Gordon-11 · 8 June 2017]

This film tells the story of a high school girl's day from an ordinary February morning. Everything seems like a normal day, as she goes to school with her best friends, bully a lonely classmate and be horrible to a nice admirer.

"Before I Fall" starts off like a sexualised version of "Mean Girls", but changes into "Groundhog Day" after about twenty minutes. After this change, the story gets more interesting and engaging. Even though the day repeats itself, the film does not feel repetitive thanks to the little behavioural changes she makes. The Ending is touching and ending. I think the story inspires people to be nice to each other, and extend a helping hand whenever possible. We don't get the luxury to start things over when we​mess up, and we don't get too many chances to learn from our mistakes, unless we're the woman in this film.

Mean Girls meets Ground Hog Day is accurate

[ryan-jentzsch · 7/10 · 11 March 2017]

Plot: 6

Themes and Tone: 9

Acting and Characters: 8

Direction: 6

Music and Score: 5

Cinematography: 8

Production Design: 10

Special Effects: 7

Editing: 9

Pacing: 5

Dialogue: 9

Plot: Has been done before. This movie in the context of high school.

Themes and Tone: The move goes for a dark theme and achieves it. On this level the film made an emotional impression on me.

Acting and Characters: Strong stereotypes but the female lead and especially Halston Sage's performances make up for this.

Direction: The movie is a slow start and spends too much time establishing the main characters as a typical mean girl clique. Part of the issue is the story itself (it's repetitive).

Score and Music: I saw this movie with my daughter. I asked if she recognized any of the music in the film. She said no. Not music I would choose to listen to.

Cinematography: This is actually one of the best features of the movie. Nice smooth camera work. Interesting angles and close-ups when needed.

Production Design: Sets and backdrop are very believable and added to the overall theme of the movie.

Special Effects: Aside from one jump scare pretending to be a special effect this aspect of the film is done well.

Editing: Transitions between scenes and other editing is clean and flows.

Pace: A slow start and eventually picks up to a decent pace.

Dialogue: Well done. The film is repetitive due to it's nature. Even so each scene of dialog is needed and adds to the movie.

I was surprised that I liked this movie more than I thought I would. I went because my daughter wanted to see a movie and she chose this one.

Not about a second chance, but infinite!

[Reno-Rangan · 6/10 · 4 June 2017]

Even if you are not that into the films, you probably have seen at least a couple film related to 'time loop'. For me, this is like hundredth. When I first saw the trailer, I said 'not again'. 'Time loop' is just a concept, but the storyline for it drawn differently. It tells the story of a high school girl on the Cupid's Day, a special day for her since she has a big plan for it to remember. Like usual her day goes on and at the end of the day something goes wrong and then she wakes again on the same day in the following day which keeps repeating. Now how she's going to find a solution or the reason for it is covered in the rest of the film.

Familiar them, but well designed storyline around it. In some way, it is same as 'Groundhog Day', though it is about a teenager and more serious and tragic tale. We sometimes wish for a second chance, that's how this film was developed, but even bigger scale with a small message for teenagers.

Awesome performances, particularly Zoey. Predictable scenes, so I had thought of couple of ending that did not happen. And I also disappointed how it concluded. Not the best solution, yet an unexpected twist. Originally the film was based on the book of the same name. This is a small budget and a quality film. The direction was good, very rich in presentation. Definitely not bad for once viewing.

6/10

The film got stuck in my head. Probably because it's so intriguing.

[peterp-450-298716 · 6/10 · 19 September 2017]

"Maybe for you there's a tomorrow. Maybe for you there's 1,000 or 3,000 or 10. So much time you can bathe in it. So much time you can waste it. But for some of us,there's only today. And what you do today matters."

Damn time loops. Bill Murray got stuck in one in "Groundhog Day" and could escape it by surrendering to love. And Tom Cruise had a less pleasant loop in "Edge of tomorrow". He died every time during an alien invasion. Samantha (Zoey Deutch) faces the same problem. A night out with her friends Lindsay (Halston Sage), Ally (Cynthy Wu) and Elodie (Medalion Rahimi) ends in a disastrous way, after which she wakes up on "Cupid's Day" over and over again. "Cupid's Day" is that time of year when youngsters in school give each other roses to show their love.

If these bosom friends would bury themselves with red roses, nobody would really be surprised. Because these narcissistic glamour tarts are living in an egocentric, artificial cocoon, where there's only room for their stuck-up personalities. A life of perfection and complacency in which the other less-favored (both financially and in appearance) are criticized and mocked. These arrogant girls don't even realize that they aren't so popular just because of their looks, but largely thanks to their rich parents. This allows them to distinguish themselves from others materialistically. Driving a car of a somewhat more expensive class. Parading with Louis Vuitton handbags and exclusive clothes.

"Before I fall" fails in two areas. First of all, it's not very original. As I said before, it's a kind of variation on "Groundhog day". Except that the latter also had some comic situations. This film tackles the issue more seriously and has a much more important message on a moral level. And secondly, it's highly predictable. Once you know what's really going on and the facts are slowly revealed, you already know what will happen and what Samantha needs to do to break the cycle. You can even mumble the last sentence simultaneously with Samantha without a problem. As expected, Samantha walks through various emotional stages. From amazement and despair to fear and anger. Ending via a rebellious, fatalistic phase into getting the revelation where she suddenly realizes (although she has experienced that day already a thousands times) how she can solve the problem.

It's kind of weird. I'm not really a fan of chic flicks. But because of the cyclic aspect and the sophisticated analysis of the different personalities, this high school drama was still fascinating. The interpretations also surprised me in a way. You can't say those girls are sympathetic, but gradually their intricate characters are revealed and you start to pity them. Especially Deutch delivered a brilliant performance. She looks like a fragile doll. A kind of "Holly Hobbie"-like Gillian Anderson. A lovely girl with an innocent appearance. You don't see her as an arrogant, hateful and selfish person. The rest of the ladies are cut from the same cloth with their specific deep-rooted emotional issues. I hope they aren't so vicious in reality.

The ultimate life lesson in the end is quite obvious. It may be a bit of an exaggerated arthritis-causing waving with the index finger in a moralistic way, but ultimately it's a truism. Perhaps some individuals in this world should focus more on the important things of life, instead of merely being busy with their own status. However, the "I" culture and social pressure are such that it's almost impossible for young people to see this. Perhaps this film should be added to the school curriculum used nowadays. However, I can imagine that some of those like-minded girls are shocked when they see the denouement. Shocked about Samantha's fate. But most probably they are happily giggling again the next day while bullying the lesser beauties. Oh well. But remember girls: "Karma is a bitch!".

More reviews here : http://bit.ly/2qtGQoc

Can I get a time loop?!

[SpanishDann · 6/10 · 7 September 2018]

Groundhog Day, The Butterfly Effect, Deja Vu, Life is Strange, 12 Monkeys, the "Monday" episode of Xfiles, certainly dozens of others I haven't seen, and now Before I Fall. Can I get a time loop!

Actually, it wasn't all that bad, but how exactly is Sammy killing herself by saving the girl planning to commit suicide a win? Is the writer suggesting b/c she bullied Juliet that she deserves this fate? Is the suicide girl now going to get better after witnessing one of her tormentors death? If you know you are about to die, why lead on the kid whose had a crush on you that u never showed any interest in before? How does this benefit him? For a film that preaches doing the right thing, I don't think the writer thought through the consequences of Sammy's choice very well. Was this really the only solution to the repeating day - saving the crazy girl by pushing her out of the way and getting face planted by the truck? There weren't any better options?

More to this than you'd think

[cristina-trsl · 8/10 · 18 January 2018]

Looking through other reviews, I see a lot of people unhappy with the ending, but I think they fail to see the whole point of Sam's repeated day. It's not about her having to solve something that would lead to a different outcome, because she was supposed to die anyway. It's really about her getting a chance to leave the people she loves with good memories and tie up some loose ends before she dies. If you think of it, it's really a gift, not a punishment. She gets to tell her family and friends she loves them, implant beautiful last memories, save a girl's life (not by offering her own instead, because she was supposed to die either way) and leave the boy who always loved her with the knowledge that she loved him back. How many people get that chance? If she hadn't gotten her repeat day, she would have left lousy or meaningless memories of herself to everyone. In the end, she understands this and no longer tries to find a way to get out of the loop. So I get that a movie like this can leave you angry about the ending, but actually it couldn't have ended better. Oh, and I don't think it's a movie only meant for teenagers (except for the soundtrack, of course).

Strong acting and cinematography fall to predictable writing. For teens only.

[tiff-ing · 7/10 · 2 March 2017]

I was lucky enough to attend a press screening of #BeforeIFallMovie. In case you didn't know, this story is originally a YA book of the same name by bestselling author Lauren Oliver. It centers on Samantha, a popular high school student who is your quintessential mean girl. On the school's "Cupid Day", meaning the day that Valentine-grams with roses go out, Sam and her best friends end up in a car accident at the end of the night. When Sam next wakes up, it's Cupid Day again, and she discovers that she is reliving the same day over and over again.

The movie was beautifully filmed, with gorgeous Pacific Northwest landscapes, and dark, brooding palates. Zoey Deutch and the rest of the actors do a really good job portraying the various characters, but as with many teen movies, I found myself totally frustrated with the "Baes", Sam's mean girl group. I was just NOT HERE for their bitchiness and bullying. The pacing was a bit quick for the character development, although I understand the book does this better - it's a movie, what can you do.

The bigger issue for me was that it was hard to enjoy the character development because the dialogue and plot were predictable. There are a lot of moments when I felt like the narrative was trying very hard to be "deep," and as an adult, it just ended up feeling clichéd to me.

That said, I think a lot of teens will like this movie, particularly those who are questioning what it means to live and survive and be a good person. I know 15-year old me definitely would have eaten up this Mean Girls meets Groundhog Day story.

I'm too old for this

[elliest_5 · 3/10 · 2 August 2017]

First of all let me say I didn't pick this film at random, I really am a sucker for this kind of plot device (i.e. Groundhog Day or more generally the 'change one thing in a chain of events and see how they turn out' premise). The problem is I've seen many good films that have used this in clever ways (Run Lola Run) or even average quality films that have at least managed to keep the suspense going (Butterfly Effect). I've even enjoyed a recent teenagery version of this in game format ("Life is Strange") which I think is the main reason why I thought I'd give this one a go.

Well, it is dull and predictable, not even trying to be subtle (the moral of the story is literally printed in big bold letters on a poster that the camera zooms on around 10 times throughout the film). The acting is meh, cinematography good but uninspired. I think it is exclusively aimed at a teenage audience that hasn't yet been exposed to better movies of this kind. I also can't imagine who else would like the godawful music score (OK, sorry teens, I admit this may be me getting old).

Bottom line: not suitable for over 25s.

And a note regarding films on Netflix (that we don't hear about anywhere else): they suck more often than not.

What a surprise!

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 27 August 2018]

When I read that this film was a cross between Groundhog Day and Mean Girls I nearly passed it up. Thank goodness I didn't, as it is a truly exceptional film, sure teen films have been done to death, but for a change the film contains empathy and soul, I know it's a cliche but Samantha's journey of discovery is well realised.

The film is well paced, very well acted, and very engaging, I found it very easy to follow the story, and understand the character's motives.

So often this type of movie features great ideas, but the execution is too blunt, Before I fall is subtle, engaging and excellent all round. I'm so surprised by its sheer quality. 9/10

Almost a really good movie

[Kieran_Oneill · 6/10 · 7 September 2020]

I thought Zoey Deutch performance was really good but looks too old to be playing a high schooler, I think the kind of bullying that happens in this movie is more 90s, nowadays it's more cyberbullying just thought that was kind of unrealistic, didn't know any of the songs but I thought the soundtrack was pretty good, I find it unbelievable that Zoey Deutch character doesn't understand what's happening in most of the movie, the ending is bad and only happens for emotional effect and for this reason I don't know if I could suggest this movie to anyone it was a good movie until the ending, also I found it really funny the line about Crocs was basically me when I was a kid

Decent movie.....until the end

[kimal_yefine · 5/10 · 8 January 2020]

I wasn't sure what to expect from yet another time loop movie, but for the most part it was better than I anticipated. Of course, this is a teen movie and there are expected cliches with cliques, bullying, and alcohol. I will admit it's a little overdone but it doesn't diminish the movie greatly. The acting was good enough to believe and the cinematography was excellent. It all comes down to the moral of the story and it's very clear very early on. It just takes awhile for the main character to realize it. She's on a forced journey to find herself and ultimately does....which leads to the ending....her ending.

I cannot overstate this enough....the ending is TRASH. Again, it was painfully obvious that Juliet had to be saved but did that really need to come at the expense of Sam's life? Couldn't Sam have approached Juliet before the party? Maybe she could've sat with her at lunch. Maybe she could've staged some impromptu intervention including Lindsay, who is also hurting. But if it had to come to saving Juliet from throwing herself into the path of a truck.....why.....why did she push Juliet out of the way and stop?!? Has Sam never dove for anything before? This is actually not my biggest problem with the ending, though.

Sam has become more mature, the enlightened one, but her peers are the same idiots that feel good with belittling others. How are they going to respond knowing that one of THEM, Sam, has been just killed all to save the one they all willingly ridicule? I'm thinking....not good. If I'm being the slightest bit logical, whatever drove Juliet to attempt suicide will pale in comparison to what she's likely about to face. And if that's true.....you see where I'm going. Sam's death will end up meaningless.

All in all, the movie was decent. However, the ending is truly one of the worst I've seen.

Regina George has nothing on these girls

[maryleishman · 6/10 · 16 March 2017]

When I saw the trailer for this movie I wasn't expecting much. I thought it looked pretty stupid and wasn't planing on seeing it until I was invited to go to this movie with a friend, and I was genuinely pleasantly surprised. This movie is basically a mix with mean girls and groundhogs day, but unlike both of these comedies Before I Fall is not a comedy. We follow the life of Samantha who is a semi- nice-ish girl who is friends with some of the meanest girls I've seen in any high school movie. Its valentines day, she goes to a party, the girls bully and put down another girl, and Samantha ends up starting the day all over again over and over again. There were some things that worked for this movie and things that did't. The scenery was beautiful and helped elevate the whole film, the soundtrack really worked with the electro-pop music, and the film was surprisingly deep. We also get to see the growth of the main character in an hour and a half which is awesome. What didn't work was the backstory. We don't really find out a whole lot about these mean girls and what makes them mean which is pretty important since this movie is a drama, not a comedy. We also don't know anything about the girl(s) the mean girls bully. Obviously there is a reason for the mean girls to be so cruel, but what is it? I think this movie desperately needed a back story. Another thing that didn't work is that this story was going too many places. There was the boyfriend, the mean girls, the family problems, the weird girl they bully, the lesbian girl, and the awkward boy who is hopelessly in love. Not to mention the whole problem that the day keeps starting over. There was just way too much going on. Overall not great, but not bad either. Solid 6.5 out of 10. A good movie for Nicholas Sparks loving teenage girls, not as awesome for adults.

I really wanted to love this....(Spoiler Alert)

[connod · 6/10 · 2 March 2017]

I really wanted to love this.....I loved the book so much. When I read negative reviews, my heart sank and I didn't want them to be real reviews. The movie was still decent enough and I was glad that I saw it. The expanded final speech to Juliette and extended epilogue to value each day were great changes in the movie that I thought added to the impact of the story.

But I got the impression that the movie studio and/or the script writer was very conflicted over the actual book and possibly afraid of copycat teens acting out if the film showed or discussed death too much. It seems to avoid the topic, even though it's a major theme of the story. I half wondered if this was actually a 2-hour movie that the studio chopped up to make it less controversial and a softer sell for a broader audience. The film has a slow build up that rushes through the ending. Gone were Sam's butterflies, morning laughter, floating and redemptive satisfaction on her last day. Elody's death and its effect on Sam was deleted entirely.

The book is brutally honest about the sadness, numbness and eventual peace Sam finds as she copes with somebody dying every day for seven days (including herself). These tragedies create a slow build up to Sam's love for Kent that was more believable than the movie version that felt rushed and suddenly intense at the end. I also missed Sam's multiple conversations over 3 days with Juliette that shed light on why Sam eventually realized that talking was not going to be enough to stop Juliette's plan. In the movie, Sam has one conversation to dissuade Juliet and then acts on her extreme plan to save her. It felt rushed and less natural.

I thought that Logan Miller did a fantastic job with his limited script as Kent. His eyes and physical gestures did so much to convey love for Sam combined with the natural awkwardness of being unrequited for so long. Kent was my favorite character in book and Logan nailed it perfectly. The actors all seemed very good. I think it was really the editing that depleted this film's potential. If you loved the book, still see the movie...but just don't have your hopes too high.

Before I Fall (2017)

[rockman182 · 6/10 · 16 May 2017]

One whiff of the trailer and I thought "eh not really something I want to watch". I'm a mad man who watches everything though, so I was destined to check it out no matter how unappealing it looked. I'm also not a fan of Zoey Deutch because she's not in many good films (yes that includes Linklater's Everybody Wants Some). After watching the film my initial reaction basically came into fruition.

So the film is about a girl (played by Deutch) and her friends in high school life. The film portrays the typical dramas of a teens life. This all includes crushes, being in a clique, rebelling against your parents, and bullying the others, basically the works. One day after a party Deutch and her friends go into a car accident. Afterwards, she keeps waking up to the same day over and over. She's in a time loop and needs to learn how to right the wrongs to escape the repetition and move on with her life.

You may be thinking the exact same thing that I am. "This film's premise sounds A LOT like Groundhog Day". That's because it does. Its essentially the same thing, except its not a comedy and is set in the life of a teenage girl (also it isn't anywhere near as good. The film suffers from clichéd writing. Its not hard to figure out what needs to be done to break the loop. Also the film flirts with feeling repetitive because of the element of the plot, and it really does feel repetitive. You have a hard time identifying with the main group of teenage girls as they are at times vile and not worth a damn.

This film is clearly made for the younger teenage audience. They may get a kick out of it and really enjoy it. For me it was something that is too familiar and not with a remarkable effect. I don't want to say it's unfortunate because, hey, I did not expect anything at all from this. If there's no expectations you can't really be disappointed. It is what it is, its nothing new but may appeal to a younger audience who probably aren't familiar with how unoriginal the film is.

5.5/10

Not bad, but falls short compared to the book.

[megmmmm-00102 · 6/10 · 14 July 2018]

This movie is definitely worth a watch but does not have enough character and story development. It's a great idea but falls flat compared to its source material. Seriously, the book is 100 times better.

For some reason the filmmakers decided to rearrange the sequence of events and leave out important lines and moments that made the book so impactful. I have no idea why they decided to do this because it really hinders the movie. The book is so emotionally investing and moving, and it's a real shame I did not get that same feeling here.

And on a less serious note, the main actress was great but she looks like a grad student, not a highschooler. It really took me out of the moment.

Haunting

[mrocco-1 · 10/10 · 17 July 2017]

This is one of those 'God I miss the forums' moments. I wish I had someone to talk to about this movie, even while putting up with the trolls lol.

THIS REVIEW WILL CONTAIN SPOILERS

This is a variation of the Groundhog Day/Butterfly effect that has been done Ad nauseum in books and movies where our main character relives the same day. As expected, the point of the story is that their actions in that day evolve to the point where the lessons are learned and the day finally ends. This movie is no different. I'm haunted by this movie because of a particular lesson learned, and it's not the main one that finally ends her loop.

Sam is our main character caught in the time loop. She is part of a foursome of girls that are the popular girls and sometimes the mean girls. Their leader is Lindsay (Linds) who is the meanest of all with some deep rooted insecurities. As Sam relives her day she discovers more insight into her own life and the flaws of her and her friends. The two girls that receive the bulk of the mean girl routine become known to her and she realizes she is just following Lindsay like a puppet, not even knowing why they are mean to these girls. On one of her days journey, she lashes out at her friends in anger and disgust, particularly her bestie Lindsay. She sees Lindsay for who she is and she doesn't like it. For most people that would be the end of that. We all have those friends that we turn on when we realize their flaws and decide to remove them from our lives. Let's face it, love is usually conditional. The part of the movie that REALLY got me and I can't stop thinking about is the full circle point where she recognizes the motivation behind Lindsay's 'meanness' and shows her total compassion and love. She embraces this meanest girl of all and instead of rejection and hate she provides her with complete recognition and acceptance. This may seem like no big deal to most, but to me it stuck out like a sore thumb. Usually in movies and books the character like Lindsay end with that character getting his or her comeuppance. Instead this movie preaches love and understanding of all people.This is the part I can't stop thinking about. This is the kind of love and compassion that I would venture to say most of us want to think we posses, but really don't when it's too close to home. I found that very inspiring and it has me thinking of various people I've rejected in my life based on my judgment of them without any compassion.

Any movie that makes me think as much as this one has deserves a 10.

Before I - Roll My eyes

[LouieInLove · 7/10 · 17 May 2017]

I watched this film with my niece & I admit to pre-judged negativity. When she picked the movie I took one look & rolled my eyes (please keep in mind that within a year I will officially be a middle aged man).

My attitude toward the film didn't change for the first 20 minutes; believing it to be another vapid & cynical attempt to exploit the teenage girl market. HOWEVER! I then started to pay attention & bit by bit got pulled in. By the time the central character was saying goodbye to her little sister the tears were falling.

When the film had finished I'd truly been on an emotional journey & my niece (who has just turned 14) had a wonderful wee story about the time she & her uncle cried watching Before I fall.

This film isn't going to change the world, but, it has a solid positive moral message for girls/young women interwoven within an intriguing story that can touch the soul.

A welcome change form the usual uber-capitalist pseudo-feminist pseudo-intellectual crap that Hollywood pumps toward young females.

Well done to those involved.

Emo Groundhog Day

[jah9000 · 5/10 · 20 April 2018]

Mean Girl trapped in loop until she figures out a crapton of teen movie tropes,

Set in the Pacific Northwest for extra moodiness,

Writer can't think of any solution to the time loop dilemma other than main character must die in place of person she's tormented into suicide. Not exactly a veiled statement - "bullies should die." How about just alerting relevant authorities that a fellow student plans to commit suicide? Then follow up, treat her like a friend, help her heal, all while making sure the Uber brat Lindsay gets straightened out.

As it stands, there is no actual resolution. This idiot girl has perpetrated a heap of additional misery upon:

Her loving family, parents will never get over it Her friends - who are stupid and shallow enough to blame the death on the girl they had been victimizing - no lesson learned. The boy who has spent his entire life loving her, who she has callously given a green light mere moments before she allows him to witness her grisly death. What the hell, writer?

Production quality high. Soundtrack excellent. Acting solid. Screenplay, stolen from a better movie and stored in a compost heap in some depressive west-coaster's organic garden. C.

Yea, I actualy cried

[kingsx_64 · 9/10 · 4 February 2021]

I almost passed watching after reading the summery. Sounded like it might be to 'teenage' for me. And honestly, it did have those moments here and there. But it was shot in a way that made me feel like something was underneath. Just waiting to be revealed. And boy was it ever. The ending left me speechless. Well except maybe for the crying noises I was making. If a 56yr old male can find beauty in, and relate to what is probably a teen target audience, then they are doing something right. And now I have new found hope for me, too, that I haven't turned into one of those crotchety old men.

If you love the book, prepare for somewhat of a disappointment.

[KartL · 6/10 · 17 May 2017]

The amount of time I waited to finally see this movie! Loved the book and was really hoping I'd love the movie as much (foolish, I know), which obviously didn't happen, hence only 6/10. Not sure what I'm about to say counts as spoilers, but hey, better safe than sorry! It really felt like it was lacking something. Quite a few things that I really wanted to see depicted on the screen were left out. I understand that they obviously couldn't add everything as the movie would have been hours long, but in my opinion they made wrong choices when choosing what to keep and what not. Everything felt so hurried. I can't even imagine what impression this movie leaves for people who haven't read the book. It must leave so many questions, right!? One main thing that really struck me was how they didn't explain or develop the teacher/student "relationship" at all. Some serious stuff went on in the book which, to me, seemed damn important. Anywho, if you're a reader such as myself, I'd really recommend the book. Might explain some things.

The plot is "meh"

[gabflatcher · 5/10 · 9 March 2018]

So you've read the book, watched the movie. But have ever think the aftermath of Sam's death? Will Juliet become somewhat happier because Sam saved her life? When you think about it, Juliet will probably be bullied even worse.

Sam saved her and that's it. She actually does nothing to change Juliet's life or even make an effort at all. Since Sam is the one who saved her and assuming that no one was around at the time, Juliet will be considered as a murderer by Sam's friends.

She could've done a lot of things on her last day (even though she does not know if she will end the loop). Instead of confessing her feelings to her childhood friend when she already knew what would happen to Juliet, she should've stopped Juliet before the party even started. She goes through the same situation for dozens and dozens of times.

Juliet learns a lot about other people's life and she should use that advantage to change their lives. For example, she could've given the lesbian classmate some roses and tell her she will find someone special. She could've get to know Juliet better at school, not in the woods.

Yes, she may have done all those things in other days but that doesn't change anything in the last day.

Better than I thought it would be

[balthesaur · 7/10 · 19 December 2021]

'Before I Fall' is a Groundhog Day type of movie, in which the main character, Sam (Zoey Deutch) has to relive the same day over and over again. She, along with three other popular, but catty, girls from high school end up in a car accident that forces Sam to respawn in her bed that previous morning.

Once the trope gets established, it does get a little predictable - she is a sub-par person to some people and has to treat others better. The film does make a small twist at the end and it does leave some plot holes to be filled by your own imagination, but overall, it's a decent flick.