Repeaters

From prolific Canadian filmmaker Carl Bessai comes this less-than-enthralling thriller following three young adults (Dustin Milligan’s Kyle, Amanda Crew’s Sonia, and Richard de Klerk’s Weeks) as they find themselves repeating the same day over and over again, with the movie detailing their subsequent attempts at figuring out why this is happening and, inevitably, exploiting its possibilities. Bessai’s notoriously dour sensibilities are evident virtually from the word go, and there’s just never a point at which the viewer is able to buy into either the premise or the reality of the characters (and it seems rather unbelievable that none of these characters would reference Groundhog Day once the situation becomes clear). The pervasive lack of authenticity, which is exacerbated by performances that feel like performances, ensures that the movie possesses a hopelessly pointless vibe that only grows more problematic as time progresses, with the increased inclusion of thriller elements transforming Repeaters into a seriously absurd piece of work (eg by the time one of the protagonists turns into a gun-toting rapist, the most patient of viewers will most likely start rolling their eyes).

*1/2 out of ****