Respond to these rapid questions in our Before I Fall quiz and we will tell you which Before I Fall character you are. Play it now.
Imagine a film that combines the perpetual do-over premise of “Groundhog Day” with the smug high-school alpha females of “Mean Girls,” all in one package. Assume, for the sake of argument, that it contains approximately 85% fewer laughs than either comedy, but contains 100% more scenes that are likely to cause tears to flow.
In a nutshell, that is the story of “Before I Fall.” Beginning with a positive attitude, I was ready to accept any film adaptation of a popular young-adult novel that did not take place in a dystopian universe and instead took place in an adolescent minefield. It also didn’t hurt that the screenplay (written by Maria Maggenti) and the director (Ry Russo-Young) for this adaptation of a best-selling novel by author Lauren Oliver were both women, which I appreciated. Attention, production companies: This is how to ensure that a story aimed primarily at teen and tween girls has an authentic emotional core, one that doesn’t pander or preach, and one that avoids over-villainizing its characters, even if a cliché or two sneaks in.
The tone of this supernatural melodrama is decidedly serious and somber, as is the chilly blue-gray color scheme, which is appropriate for the damp, wooded, and mountainous Pacific Northwest setting, where pricey contemporary mansions are plentiful and the views are spectacular. The film is directed by David Fincher, who also wrote the screenplay. In a voiceover, we are told, “Perhaps tomorrow will come for you.” But for some of us, today is all we have,” Deutch says before observing high-school senior Sam Kingston (Zoey Deutch of “Vampire Academy”) awaken at 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 12 to the sound of a pop ballad playing on her phone (no, not “I’ve Got You Babe,” as you might expect). She ignores her parents and berates her adorable little sister before rushing out the door to hitch a ride with her queen-bee BFF Lindsay (Halston Sage of “Paper Towns”) as they proceed to pick up the rest of their privileged pack, which includes smarty-pants Ally (Cynthy Wu) and wild-child Elody (Jamie Lee Curtis), before they arrive at their destination (Medalion Rahimi).
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The fact that Sam has an appointment to lose her virginity with boyfriend Rob (Kian Lawley) that night is revealed while the two are riding in an SUV, and Elody is more than happy to provide a condom for the occasion. A capstone to “Cupid Day,” a cruel yearly tradition (that is sure to make those who are not part of the in-crowd feel like crap) that involves students sending roses with personal notes to one another, the rite of passage will take place on February 14. No one can blame the outspoken middle-class lesbian (Liv Hewson) for declaring the custom to be “heteronormative hell,” as she describes it.
Before I Fall Quiz
The obvious outcome is that Samuel makes out like a bandit with a sizable bouquet. In spite of the fact that love should be in the air, the foursome cannot help but poke fun at their favorite punching bag, an eccentric artist named Juliet (Elena Kampouris), who hides behind a veil of unkempt hair. During this time, Sam turns her back on one of the rose-givers, Kent (Logan Miller), who we later learn is a childhood friend who she has forgotten about despite his obvious attraction to her.
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Before I Fall quiz.
Kent’s adult-free house is the setting for the action, which culminates in a rainy-night kegger where things go from bad to worse (Rob, who turns out to be a drunken jerk, spends the night barfing in the sink) before becoming truly tragic (Lindsay verbally attacks and throws beer at Juliet after being called a “bitch”) (the quartet of gal pals all appear to die in a crash when the vehicle flips over after hitting an unseen obstacle).
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Suddenly, we see Sam waking up—again, at the same time, on the same day, with the same song—for the second time. Again and again. Again and again. At first, she acts as if she is having a dream, as if everything is a dream. Then she and her friends decide to stay away from the party in order to avoid being involved in an accident. However, she will have to repeat the day. Because there will be no lasting consequences, she becomes enraged, dresses in an overtly sexy manner, and acts out in whatever manner she pleases, no matter how hurtful or inappropriate it may seem. The realization will eventually dawn on Sam that she may need to look outside of herself and make some adjustments in her interactions with others, including her parents, sister, friends and those she has treated indifferently or even bullied, will come to her slowly over time.
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Because the specifics of breaking this cycle are never made completely clear, it may be frustrating for some people to try and figure it out for themselves. Deutch, with her long reddish-brown hair and delicate pale features that remind us of those collectible Madame Alexander dolls, as well as her well-tempered acting, makes us care about Sam and her companions’ fates in the film. She and Miller are also adept at igniting sparks between one another while also providing some of the film’s most heartfelt moments. However, romance is not the solution to this puzzle. Sisterhood is what it is. The screenplay, which is written by Maggenti, provides just enough motivational history for even the most vile of the main characters so that we don’t dismiss them out of hand while also realizing that they are dealing with their own pain.
I applaud whoever came up with the idea of casting Jennifer Beals as Sam’s mother, who is the only other adult in the film who has any real influence. Not sure if it was done on purpose, but I found it amusing that Sam’s sleeping attire includes a T-shirt with the neckline ripped just so—perhaps a nod to the sweatshirt with the fashionably torn collar that was used in a memorable scene in “Flashdance.” On the other hand, it’s clever that the only teacher onscreen is giving a lesson on the myth of Sisyphus, who was forced to repeatedly roll a rock up a hill in order to survive. And, yes, it is amusing when the lecturer informs his students that Sisyphus does not refer to a sexually transmitted disease. At least, that’s how he says it the first time around.
For more personality quizzes check this: Battle Of The Sexes Quiz.
