I think this is a good movie, but not a great one. The acting is good. The plots(there were really two distinct ones)were intriguing but incomplete.
The whole movie is based on choice made by Bobby and Kate,a young couple. After the choice-whether to spend the 4th of July with the Kate's family or not- is made, the story switches back and forth between the two different scenarios that would have played out based in either choice. The plot gimmick is interesting if not entirely original. As others have mentioned, it is certainly similar to "Run, Lola, Run"(Since I haven't seen that film in awhile, I'm not entirely sure how similar this movie is. I do think that "Lola" was better from what I remember though). Each choice essentially leads to a radically different movie- one domestic drama involving Kate's family and the other was about the couple in the middle of mob war over a lost cell phone( As one reviewer put it, the former plot is probably more interesting to women and the latter to men.)
The contrasts and connections between these intertwined stories made for a good movie, but neither plot was fully developed. We learn some information about the character through the two stories, but so much is left unexplained. Who are the mobsters? A possible explanation is offered, but never confirmed. Why don't the main characters eat meat anymore? It apparently has something to do with her mother, but that is never fully explained either. How did her brother die? No further information is offered. What ultimately happens to the stray dog that they pick up in the former scenario?
Each story offers yet more choices to for the couple. The main uncertainty in the domestic story is that Kate is pregnant and doesn't know whether to have the baby. The main choice in the other scenario is what to do about the mysterious and evidently valuable cell phone they have acquired. Unfortunately, neither scenario is offered much of a resolution. The pregnancy question is left undecided. the couple finally gets rid of the cell phone in the other scenario, but much is still left unresolved. The mobsters already know who Bobby is and they have tracked him down pretty easily throughout the movie. Won't they just come after him again? Also, the pregnancy is obviously still a reality in that scenario as well. How would such a harrowing experience affect that decision? I'd imagine that they would grow close and the prospective of raising a family together wouldn't be so scary. As a side note, just the fact that a couple in their late 20's/early 30's(it's not clear exactly how old either is supposed to be in the movie) are so indecisive about carrying to term a pregnancy speaks volumes about our culture(and not in a good way).
Also, the plot device might have been more interesting if it had evolved around the major choices(what to do with the pregnancy or the cell phone) instead of a minor one. The whole drama about making a choice might have been bigger if the possible choices had bigger apparent consequences then possibly making her mother upset or blowing off their friend's party. The whole mcguffin about finding a lost cell phone and getting involved in a mob war was something that could have just as easily happened in the other scenario. They had no idea that was would happen when they made the choice. What is this move saying? Are we supposed to be afraid or worried about every minor choice and the possible unknown, outlandish consequence that could result from it?
For me, this movie was two decent stories that never really coalesced or gave much closure to the viewer. It was good, but it could have been better. Perhaps the makers of this film should dwell on some of their own choices...
The whole movie is based on choice made by Bobby and Kate,a young couple. After the choice-whether to spend the 4th of July with the Kate's family or not- is made, the story switches back and forth between the two different scenarios that would have played out based in either choice. The plot gimmick is interesting if not entirely original. As others have mentioned, it is certainly similar to "Run, Lola, Run"(Since I haven't seen that film in awhile, I'm not entirely sure how similar this movie is. I do think that "Lola" was better from what I remember though). Each choice essentially leads to a radically different movie- one domestic drama involving Kate's family and the other was about the couple in the middle of mob war over a lost cell phone( As one reviewer put it, the former plot is probably more interesting to women and the latter to men.)
The contrasts and connections between these intertwined stories made for a good movie, but neither plot was fully developed. We learn some information about the character through the two stories, but so much is left unexplained. Who are the mobsters? A possible explanation is offered, but never confirmed. Why don't the main characters eat meat anymore? It apparently has something to do with her mother, but that is never fully explained either. How did her brother die? No further information is offered. What ultimately happens to the stray dog that they pick up in the former scenario?
Each story offers yet more choices to for the couple. The main uncertainty in the domestic story is that Kate is pregnant and doesn't know whether to have the baby. The main choice in the other scenario is what to do about the mysterious and evidently valuable cell phone they have acquired. Unfortunately, neither scenario is offered much of a resolution. The pregnancy question is left undecided. the couple finally gets rid of the cell phone in the other scenario, but much is still left unresolved. The mobsters already know who Bobby is and they have tracked him down pretty easily throughout the movie. Won't they just come after him again? Also, the pregnancy is obviously still a reality in that scenario as well. How would such a harrowing experience affect that decision? I'd imagine that they would grow close and the prospective of raising a family together wouldn't be so scary. As a side note, just the fact that a couple in their late 20's/early 30's(it's not clear exactly how old either is supposed to be in the movie) are so indecisive about carrying to term a pregnancy speaks volumes about our culture(and not in a good way).
Also, the plot device might have been more interesting if it had evolved around the major choices(what to do with the pregnancy or the cell phone) instead of a minor one. The whole drama about making a choice might have been bigger if the possible choices had bigger apparent consequences then possibly making her mother upset or blowing off their friend's party. The whole mcguffin about finding a lost cell phone and getting involved in a mob war was something that could have just as easily happened in the other scenario. They had no idea that was would happen when they made the choice. What is this move saying? Are we supposed to be afraid or worried about every minor choice and the possible unknown, outlandish consequence that could result from it?
For me, this movie was two decent stories that never really coalesced or gave much closure to the viewer. It was good, but it could have been better. Perhaps the makers of this film should dwell on some of their own choices...