ONE MORE SHOT

One More Shot intelligently blends its time loop premise with a raunchy party comedy to deliver some big laughs, but it is the fantastic lead performance of Emily Browning and the secret coming of age narrative that makes it a delightful comedy from start to finish.

Audiences are no stranger to the time loop stories in film ever since the classic romantic comedy Groundhog Day, which has helped inspire modern films such as Happy Death Day, Palm Springs, and even the crass Hot Tub Time Machine. When properly narratively structured, not only can the time loop film deliver some big laughs as our main character is forced to relive the same moment in life over and over again, but it can lead to great character development and growth, and that is exactly what Nicholas Clifford has achieved in the new Australian comedy One More Shot. Not only is the film a fun time capsule filled with 1990s nostalgia thanks its soundtrack, pop culture references and incorporation of the Y2K scare into the plot, but with the ever charming performance of Emily Browning in the lead role of Minnie who finds herself with the ability to time travel due to a bottle of tequila, the film achieves a winning balance between laugh out loud humour and an endearing heart to create one splendid comedy.

New Year’s Eve. 1999. The fear of Y2K. It was a time that you had to be alive for to understand the excitement of a new century, the fear of the potential collapse of the world as we know it, and that one night of the year to party knowing that you get a clean slate the next morning. That is the setting for One More Shot in which Australian husband and wife screenwriters Gregory Erdstein and Alice Foulcher unravel their time loop story about a woman who discovers the bottle of tequila she has brought to the New Year’s Eve party gives her the ability to time travel and restart the night over and over again. Time travelling with each shot she takes, Minnie uses her newly discovered power to try and win back her friend that she has been in love with for years, Joe, re-attempting to maneuver the party to win Joe over and shake his new American girlfriend Jenny. With the mixture of time travel and intoxication from too many shots of tequila, Erdstein and Foulcher unleash the expected comedic gags from a time loop film, all of which are excellently executed by the cast to deliver big laughter throughout the film that never fails to entertain. The script allows for some great callbacks to the 1990s, such as the costumes each character wears to the party being iconic pop culture characters from films like Pulp Fiction and Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, the endless use of James’ “Laid” as Minnie sees Joe for the first time at the party with each re-attempt to win him over that echoes that 1999 teen comedy American Pie, and the dance break to 9Tendo and Mr. President’s “Coco Jamboo,” which is certain to send viewers of a certain age down memory lane to a simpler time.

While the 1990s callbacks and time loop humour are the hooks of the story, what Erdstein and Foulcher have written is actually a charming coming of age story for our main character Minnie. Minnie may not have her life together despite being a very intelligent doctor, finding herself crashing on her friend’s couch reeling after her breakup and still in love with Joe, but being forced to repeat the same night over and over again in pursuit of Joe starts a change within her. As each repeat of the night occurs, there is a growth that begins to occur as Minnie’s immature antics come into perspective for her to reflect on, the loop she not only finds herself in that night but in her life in general, moving the story towards Erdstein and Foulcher’s larger ambition for the story. Similarly to other films in the time loop genre, the time travelling ability is used as a foil for our protagonist to teach them an important life lesson, allowing Minnie to shed her self-sabotaging tendencies and grow into a more responsible adult in control of her life. But, with Erdstein and Foulcher’s writing and Clifford’s direction, there is a heartwarming element that does not rely on the stereotypical endings that you often see in the subgenre, allowing One More Shot to feel like a breath of fresh air for audiences.

What really makes the film work is Browning’s lead performance, which is the driving force of the entire film. Embracing the messiness of Minnie’s quest to reclaim Joe, Browning finds the charm and chaos as Minnie repeatedly tries and fails (sometimes miserably so) to get the attention of Joe and recreate the magical chemistry they shared years ago, utilizing great moments of physical comedy. At the same time of this surface level comedy, there is a quiet heartbreak that Browning brings to Minnie as the audience sees her the actions that have led her to her currently lonely state, setting Minnie up for the evolution the script has in store for her. All done with a grace, smile and killer comedic sense, Browning shines from start to finish. The supporting cast of Ashley Zukerman, Sean Keenan, Aisha Dee, Pallavi Sharda, Hamish Michael, Anna McGahan and Contessa Treffone are all great, each matching the comedic tone set by the screenplay and Browning’s performance, while also bringing an introspective look at their characters’ insecurities which helps Minnie realize her own shortcomings and grow out of her party girl phase to become a better person. As an ensemble, the entire cast work perfectly together to capture the excitement amongst a group of friends counting down to the New Year in addition to the tensions that come with knowing each other too well, ensuring that every joke and emotional moment at this New Year’s Party lands with an honesty.

Whether you enjoy party comedies, 1990s nostalgia fuelled stories or time loop comedies, One More Shot has something to entertain all viewers no matter what type of comedy they are looking for. Led by a dazzling, charming, and emotionally honest performance from Emily Browning that adds a depth to the coming of age story at the heart of this time loop comedy, under the direction of Nicholas Clifford, One More Shot delivers laugh out loud moments that are as raunchy as they are intelligent in this 1990s nostalgic party comedy that makes for perfect viewing to count down into the New Year.