Before I Fall

Lifting the supernatural premise of Harold Ramis's classic comedy Groundhog Day, this angst-riddled melodrama follows 17-year-old Samantha “Sam” Kingston (Zoey Deutch) who re-lives a crucial Friday over and over again. In the Pacific Northwest, Cascadia High School celebrates Valentine's Day with “val-o-grams”—rose deliveries that gauge every student's status. Self-centered Sam has reached the pinnacle of the popularity poll, surrounded by three friends (Cynthy Wu, Medalion Rahimi, Halston Sage). Like many bitchy cliques, they cruelly pick on an ostracized outcast—in this case, wild-haired Juliet Sykes (Elena Kampouris). For Sam, this particular Friday precedes a party hosted by temporarily parent-less Kent McFuller (Logan Miller), who has adored Samantha since elementary school, even though she is currently enamored with hard-drinking Rob (Kian Lawley). When the frivolity at the party is followed by a fatal car crash, Sam is forced to repeat the day over and over again, eventually becoming enlightened and learning important life lessons, even if it's a bit too late. Problem is: Samantha is somewhat passive in this doomed timeline loop“with things happening to her“as morsels of pertinent information about her little sister (Erica Tremblay) and mother (Jennifer Beals), among others, are revealed. And Deutch seems a bit too sophisticated to be convincing as a high-school senior. Based on Lauren Oliver's bestselling 2010 YA novel, and directed by Ry Russo-Young, Before I Fall ultimately delivers a sympathetic “savor every moment” message. A strong optional purchase. (S. Granger)