Before I Fall (film)

Before I Fall
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Ry Russo-Young
Produced by	Matthew Kaplan Brian Robbins Jonathan Shestack
Written by	Maria Maggenti
Based on	Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver
Starring	Zoey Deutch Halston Sage Logan Miller Kian Lawley Jennifer Beals Diego Boneta Elena Kampouris
Music by	Adam Taylor
Cinematography	Michael Fimognari
Edited by	Joe Landauer
Production company	Awesomeness Films Jon Shestack Productions
Distributed by	Open Road Films
Release date	January 21, 2017 (2017-01-21) (Sundance) March 3, 2017 (2017-03-03) (United States)
Running time	99 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$5 million[2]
Box office	$15.8 million[3]

Before I Fall is a 2017 American teen drama film directed by Ry Russo-Young and written by Maria Maggenti, based on the 2010 novel of same name by Lauren Oliver. The film stars Zoey Deutch, Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Jennifer Beals, Diego Boneta and Elena Kampouris.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017, and was theatrically released on March 3, 2017, by Open Road Films. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $15 million worldwide against its $5 million budget. According to IndieWire, it was one of the highest grossing independent films of 2017.^[4]

Plot

Samantha Kingston (Zoey Deutch) wakes on Cupid's Day (February 12). She is picked up by her friends, Lindsay (Halston Sage), Ally (Cynthy Wu) and Elody (Medalion Rahimi), who joke with her about losing her virginity to her boyfriend Rob (Kian Lawley) that night. During class, Sam is handed a rose, gifted from her boyfriend with a nonchalant note. She is also given a pale colored rose with a note suggesting it is from another boy named Kent (Logan Miller). He later invites her to his party. During lunch the girls make fun of Juliet (Elena Kampouris), an outsider girl that they view as a "psycho". At the party, Juliet shows up, seemingly uninvited. Lindsay confronts her and the two fight, with Juliet leaving in tears. As they are driving back from the party, the car hits something and crashes, apparently killing Sam and her friends.

Sam wakes in her room on Cupid's Day again. Thinking the previous day was just a nightmare, Sam continues on with her day but finds that the same events occur, and they again crash leaving the party. Sam wakes up on the same day again. Realizing she is in a time-loop, she convinces the group to have a sleepover instead of going to the party, trying to avoid the crash. They avoid the crash, but find out later in the night that Juliet has killed herself. Despite avoiding the crash, Sam wakes up on the same day again. Seemingly unable to break the loop, she angrily reacts to everyone around her, insulting her friends and family. At the party, she has sex with Rob, not enjoying the experience. She runs into Kent's room and breaks down in tears. Kent finds and comforts her, letting her stay in his room.

The next day, she skips school and spends time with her sister. At the party, Sam and Kent share a kiss. She hears the fight between Lindsey and Juliet from the hall and chases after her through the woods. Sam tries to stop Juliet, but she jumps in front of Lindsey's car, horrifying Sam and making her realize that Juliet was what the car hit on the original day. Sam wakes up again with a sense of calm and understanding, knowing what she must do to end the loop. She goes about her day much kinder and considerate than she had on the first. She also breaks up with Rob and tells Kent that she has a "secret" to tell him. At the party, she tells Kent she loves him. She again attempts to save Juliet, but when Juliet attempts to run into traffic, Sam accepts her fate and pushes her out of the way, being killed by a truck and ending the loop. As she dies, a montage of good memories plays in her head. Touched and moved, Juliet says to Sam's lifeless body that she saved her, to which Sam's spirit replies no, that Juliet was the one who saved her.

Cast

Production

On July 15, 2010, Fox 2000 Pictures bought the feature film rights to the teen novel Before I Fall, Lauren Oliver's debut, which was published that year.^[5][6] Maria Maggenti was hired to adapt the novel into a screenplay, while Jonathan Shestack was set to produce and Ginny Pennekamp to co-produce. The film is about a high school student who re-lives the same day until she gets everything in her life right.^[5] In 2011, the script was listed among the Black List of best unproduced screenplays.^[7] Ry Russo-Young was attached as the film's director.^[8] On September 15, 2015, it was announced that Zoey Deutch had been cast in the film's lead role, Samantha Kingston.^[8] Brian Robbins and Matthew Kaplan produced the film through their Awesomeness Films, along with Shestack, with production starting in late October 2015.^[8] On October 27, 2015, more cast was announced, consisting of Halston Sage, Logan Miller, Kian Lawley, Diego Boneta, and Elena Kampouris.^[9] Good Universe handled the film's international sales at the American Film Market.^[9] On November 3, 2015, Jennifer Beals joined the film's cast, to play Samantha's mother.^[10] On November 20, 2015, Liv Hewson was cast in the film to play Anna Cartullo.^[11] Adam Taylor composed the film's score.^[12]

Filming

Principal photography on the film began on November 16, 2015, in Squamish, British Columbia, where they filmed at Quest University.^[6][13][14] Shooting also took place in and around Vancouver.^[15] Filming ended on December 19, 2015.^[16]

Release

In May 2016, Open Road Films acquired U.S distribution rights to the film.^[17] Before I Fall had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 21, 2017.^[18] The film was originally scheduled to be released on April 7, 2017, but was moved up to March 3.^[19][20] It also screened in Italy at Giffoni Film Festival on July 18, 2017.^[21]

Home media

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray on May 30, 2017 in the United States by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

Reception

Box office

Before I Fall grossed $12.2 million in the United States and Canada and $3.5 million in other territories for a worldwide gross of $15.8 million, against a production budget of $5 million.^[3]

In the United States and Canada, Before I Fall opened alongside The Shack and Logan, and was projected to gross around $4 million in its opening weekend.^[22] It ended up opening to $4.9 million, which Deadline.com noted, while on par with projections, was a disappointing figure. While it only carried a $5 million production cost, the estimated amount spent on advertising the film was around $20 million, meaning an opening of $13 million would have been needed to be deemed a success.^[23] In its second weekend the film grossed $3.1 million, dropping just 34% and again finishing 6th at the box office.^[24]

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 67% based on 96 reviews, with an average rating of 5.8/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Before I Fall's familiar ingredients are enlivened by a fresh YA perspective and a strong performance from emerging star Zoey Deutch."^[25] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 58 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".^[26] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.^[27]

Abbey Bender of Uproxx gave the film a generally positive review and praised Ry Russo-Young's direction, noting: "Before I Fall ends disappointingly with a moment of sacrifice that feels too heavy handed. Along the way, though, there are plenty of scenes of compellingly lush nature and teenage girlhood."^[28] AllMovie gave it 2.5 stars out of 5,^[29] while Susan Wloszczyna of rogerebert.com gave it 3 out of 4.^[30]

Awards and nominations

Film earned a nomination in 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Drama category. Cast also earned nominations; Zoey Deutch in 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Drama Actress category and Kian Lawley in Choice Movie: Drama Actor category for the movie.^[31]

See also

• List of films featuring time loops

• X-Files episode: 'Monday'

• Twilight Zone episodes:
  • 'Death Ship'
  • 'Judgment Night'
  • 'Shadow Play'

• • Black Mirror episode 'White Bear' - Not a time loop, but a woman's condemned to relive the same day over and over as a judicial punishment.

• Comparable films:
  • Groundhog Day
  • Edge of Tomorrow
  • Happy Death Day
  • Live, Die, Repeat, and Repeat
  • ARQ^[32]

References

External links

• Official website
• Before I Fall on IMDb