This time-loop rom-com takes another swing at the tried-and-true “Groundhog Day” premise.
“Meet Cute,” from the director Alex Lehmann, is a “Groundhog Day” movie. Dozens of movies have borrowed the premise of the 1993 comedy in which Bill Murray finds himself caught in a 24-hour time loop, forced to continuously relive the same day: it’s been applied to sci-fi (“Source Code”), farce (“Naked”), horror (“Happy Death Day”), and blockbuster action (“Edge of Tomorrow”), often to amusing effect. “Meet Cute,” like the 2020 film “Palm Springs,” brings the concept to bear on the rom-com: Sheila (Kaley Cuoco) is stuck on a time-looped first date with Gary (Pete Davidson), repeatedly meeting and re-meeting the guy she’s convinced is the man of her dreams.
Part of the appeal of “Groundhog Day” (and many of its imitators) is that the reason for the time loop is never explained: Murray’s Sisyphean plight rang true without the need for some literal justification. “Meet Cute” complicates its conceit by introducing elaborate plot mechanics involving a tanning-bed time machine, which results in a number of boring expository flashbacks and, later, an extended riff on “The Butterfly Effect.”
Of course, these logistical problems would be excusable if the romance at the center of the movie were remotely compelling or if the jokes were actually funny. At one point, the couple dines at a fancy modern restaurant, and there’s an extended gag about the tiny portions. (“Are we supposed to eat this?” Sheila asks, aghast. “Yes,” Gary says. “It’s one of the best restaurants in the city!”) That joke, like the premise of the movie, might have seemed fresh 30 years ago. Are we stuck in a time loop?
Meet Cute
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 29 minutes. Watch on Peacock.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
