Best Stuck in a Time Loop Films

I have to confess to something - I have never watched the original Groundhog day film. Which is incredibly ironic since I do have a thing for time loop films. There's something about watching a character relive a story on repeat, forcing them to reflect on their actions or relationships. Usually these moments are fleeting, but being stuck in the same loop of events allows for some beautiful character arcs - in drama and comedy.

Before I Fall (2017)

February 12 is just another day in Sam's charmed life, until it turns out to be her last. Stuck reliving her last day over and over, Sam untangles the mystery around her death and discovers everything she's losing.

Director: Ry Russo-Young

Writers: Maria Maggenti (screenplay) & Lauren Oliver (based on the novel)

Starring: Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Elena Kampouris, Cynthy Wu, and Medalion Rahimi.

My Thoughts: This was my first time watching a Lauren Oliver adaptation - the thing that struck me was the authenticity of high school. Usually, all the characters are written as walking stereotypes and not as individuals. This film moved away from those tropes, putting its protagonist as the quiet friend of the school's Mean Girl. Her passive nature is a character flaw that is a addressed as she's forced to reflect on her actions each day. This film went into surprisingly deep and dark themes and with a strong cast, this is a pretty strong contender in the YA genre.

Happy Death Day (2017) & Happy Death Day 2 U (2019)

A college student must relive the day of her murder over and over again, in a loop that will end only when she discovers her killer's identity.

She finds herself trapped in another loop in the sequel, but this time its an alternative reality - torn between a deadline to return to her reality and being reunited with her deceased mother.

Director: Christopher Landon

Writers: Christopher Landon & Scott Lobdell

Starring: Jessica Rothe, Israel Broussard, Ruby Modine, Charles Aitken, Rachel Matthews, Phi Vu, and Laura Clifton.

My Thoughts: As someone who's not a fan of the horror genre, this has to be one of my favourite film series. This film completely broke the horror genre tropes in this surprisingly poignant black comedy. Tree is the girl who would usually be the first to go in a standard horror, but this series not only makes the mean girl the heroine - she's a fully-fleshed out and complex character. This film balances drama and comedy perfectly, even delving into the science-fiction genre in its sequel. I genuinely cannot wait for the third film that's in the works.

4.3.2.1. (2010)

4 girls out on a 3 days trip in to 2 cities, if they survive.

While Jo is working in a supermarket, her 3 friends are all out on their adventures. A chance encounter with diamond thieves sends them on a collision course with fate itself.

Directors: Noel Clarke & Mark Davis

Writer: Noel Clarke

Starring: Emma Roberts, Tamsin Egerton, Ophelia Lovibond, Shanika Warren-Markland, Noel Clarke, Jacob Anderson, and Helen McCrory.

My Thoughts: This is one of Noel Clarke's best - and most underrated films. Unlike the past examples. this film spans across three days from four different perspectives as each character's story overlaps and intertwines. Although the time loop is different, this style explores how a scene can be interpreted in multiple ways just by changing the point of view. This film may not have been a hit with critics at the time, I think this was ahead of its time with diversity in female-lead productions.

Naked (2017)

Nervous about finally getting married, a guy is forced to relive the same nerve-wracking hours over and over again until he gets things right on his wedding day.

Director: Michael Tiddes

Writers: Marlon Wayans, Rick Alvarez & Cory Koller

Starring: Marlon Wayans, Regina Hall, Dennis Haysbert, J.T. Jackson, Scott Foley, Eliza Coupe, and Brian McKnight.

My Thoughts: In comparison to my past recommendations, this one is considerably more light-hearted and a much easier watch. The humour may not have been my cup of tea at times, but it was a good rom-com.

Below is a quick list of Time Loop films I haven't seen yet, but plan to:

The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2021)

A wealthy Nigerian American teenager is pulled over by police, shot to death, and immediately awakens, trapped in a terrifying time loop that forces him to confront difficult truths about his life and himself.

Director: Ali LeRoi

Writers: Stanley Kalu

Starring: Steven Silver, Spencer Neville, Nicola Peltz, Sammi Rotibi and David James Elliott.

My Predictions: I was gutted I missed the online premiere at the BFI Flare Festival last year. Everything from the premise to the characterisation just sounded so poignant and emotionally impactful with great cinematography based on the trailer. The background of this production was also fascinating - The screenplay was written by Stanley Kalu, a film student at the University of Southern California. It was the first-ever winner of The Launch, a screenwriting competition to find and develop screenplays by promising new writers on which LeRoi was a judge; the competition's prize included the screenplay being produced as a feature film, and LeRoi signed on to direct it as his own feature film debut. It will also be good to see Steven Silver playing a character totally different from his 13 Reasons Why role.

2020 has indeed felt like a time loop, but I would highly recommend these films above.