I scanned a few of the other IMDb user reviews before writing my own, and I have the opposite opinion regarding the pace of the film. In the beginning I was somewhat bored and distracted by the cheesy elements of the film - cliché "dramatic" music, etc. I can't quite put my finger on why, but visually the film seemed dated or like a TV movie to me. Maybe it was the coloration or camera angles. Aside from this, I also found myself wondering at least a few times, "what is the point of all this" during the first half of the movie. The plot seemed to be very slow-moving. The time shifts interested me but I wasn't really pulled in by the characters. The acting by some of the non-principal characters was also painful - namely, the nurse.
The second half of the movie more than redeemed itself in my opinion. The action started moving faster and more of the plot was revealed - who Clair truly was, the reason for the animosity between Simon and Anna, etc. I was on the edge of my seat for much of this portion of the movie, as more and more twists and turns were presented and questions were answered. Unlike some other users, I don't have a problem with the ending. It kept me guessing until the last moment and even now, a day later, I'm still not quite sure what the real "truth" is. Was Simon dead the whole time and had been reliving his mistakes over and over, trying to change them? Was it all a dream, fueled by his guilty subconscious? Or is there a different explanation?
I personally love thrillers replete with plot twists that take you in different directions and make you question all of your prior assumptions. The ambiguity in this film allows you to form your own opinions, and fosters thoughts and discussion long after the closing credits. I think the not knowing is part of the fun. To me, the mark of a good film is whether it passes the "rewatch" test. I will be happy to watch this movie again (possibly more than once) to try to piece together the puzzle and to recognize all the clues and hints that had been sprinkled along the way.
The second half of the movie more than redeemed itself in my opinion. The action started moving faster and more of the plot was revealed - who Clair truly was, the reason for the animosity between Simon and Anna, etc. I was on the edge of my seat for much of this portion of the movie, as more and more twists and turns were presented and questions were answered. Unlike some other users, I don't have a problem with the ending. It kept me guessing until the last moment and even now, a day later, I'm still not quite sure what the real "truth" is. Was Simon dead the whole time and had been reliving his mistakes over and over, trying to change them? Was it all a dream, fueled by his guilty subconscious? Or is there a different explanation?
I personally love thrillers replete with plot twists that take you in different directions and make you question all of your prior assumptions. The ambiguity in this film allows you to form your own opinions, and fosters thoughts and discussion long after the closing credits. I think the not knowing is part of the fun. To me, the mark of a good film is whether it passes the "rewatch" test. I will be happy to watch this movie again (possibly more than once) to try to piece together the puzzle and to recognize all the clues and hints that had been sprinkled along the way.