Before I Fall

Before I Fall is one of the more pleasant surprises of the year.

Director Ry Russo-Young seems genuinely interested in tapping into these characters and reminding us what fresh hell adolescence brings each day, but the material resists her.

There's little that the director, Ry Russo-Young, can do with the material's sentimental thinness, but she does something nonetheless ...

Being spineless is its own form of evil, yet Russo-Young makes Samantha such a languid, lovely waif that you forgive her as soon as she smiles.

Deutch's naturalistic performance grounds the various layers of the story in a manner that keeps it from becoming either boring or wildly unrealistic.

The real reason the movie ends up being as enjoyable as it is has more to do with Deutch's infectious star-turn more than it does anything else.

Takes Groundhog Day's concept to high school, but fails to do anything interesting with it.

Before I Fall is a plastic, phony effort of teenage melodrama, that struggles to give us a reason to enjoy going back to high school for one day, let alone repeat it over and over again.

How far can you emulate the 'Groundhog Day' story and still make a worthwhile film? Apparently far enough with 'Before I fall,' as I truly enjoyed it.

The film has a handful of worthy messages -- from anti-bullying to taking a moment to appreciate those around you -- that the teenagers in your life might appreciate.