The trend of English titles on Swedish productions, such as "Thunder in my heart", "Underdog" and "Hack my heart" is now reinforced by "One more time" (and more are on the way). Possibly another desperate attempt by the Swedish film and TV industry to lure the young from a small screen, to at least something bigger ("One more time" premieres on Netflix).
Here, too, the plot is Anglo-Saxon, openly and unabashedly borrowed from the Bill Murray hit "Monday All Week" – which, incidentally, also figures in the story, as an inspiration for Hedda Stiernstedt's age-happy Amelia who is hit by a truck and wakes up on her 18th birthday.
At first, the rather immature Amelia sees it all as a blessing. Who doesn't want to relive their student days? (Me!). But then as a torment, because she has ended up in a loop that causes her to wake up every morning to her parents' false song in "Yes May She Live" – and then force her way through a day at school and at postpubertal parties.
Hedda Stiernstedt plays her lead role with convincing energy and comic jerkiness, at least at first, but when the sede-learning sentenserna knock on the script door, both she and the story lose in dynamics and forward movement.
-So should I become a better person, to get out of this loop? Amelia asks incredulously as she and her friend look through Bill Murray's time warp – insinuating that no such easy way out will be offered here. Good! – I just had time to think before the story like damned falls on in exactly the predictable direction. A little more individuality could have been afforded.
Well, at least it doesn't hurt to watch feature film debuting director Jonatan Etzler's "One More Time", which is nevertheless a playfully performed genre exercise in bright full color – which can probably go home with the target audience.
Or not... Young audiences tend to shun Swedish cinema like a carrot juice in a champagne bar.
English titles are unlikely to change that.