The unstoppable Netflix juggernaut simply cannot be stopped, tossing up new pieces of entertainment every day. This has been a boon for older, more obscure films as their inclusion in the Just Added list has put them back in the spotlight. Unfortunately, there’s just one new movie being added today, but it’s an underrated title worth checking out.
I’m talking about Before I Fall, a teen drama with a twist from 2017. On the surface, it’s a low-key story about a girl going through typical adolescent stuff. There’s crushes, interpersonal conflict, some bullying and characters worrying about losing their virginity. So far, so boilerplate John Hughes. But then *smash* there’s a fatal car crash.
Our heroine wakes up without a scratch on her though and without a dent in the fender. That’s right campers, it’s a time loop movie, as protagonist Samantha Kingston gets to live the same day over and over again, trying to fix the lives of her classmates. The plot goes on to get substantially stranger, too, as she digs deeper into her classmates’ secrets and it all ends on a surprisingly dark note.
Despite those interesting elements, Before I Fall grossed just $18 million worldwide on a $5 million budget (though they spent $20 million on marketing it, so it ended up losing money). Fortunately, it didn’t affect the career of star Zoey Deutch, who went on to feature in Zombieland: Double Tap, Buffaloed and The Politician.Â
Before I Fall isn’t a lost classic, but I always enjoy entries in the ‘time loop’ subgenre. Obviously, Groundhog Day is the grandaddy in Western cinema, but there’s also awesome Tom Cruise actioner Edge of Tomorrow and anime film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time.Â
Anyways, Before I Fall is only 99 minutes, so if you’ve got a bit of time to kill (pun fully intended), give it a watch on Netflix. You won’t regret it.
