Believe it or not, there was a time when the world was convinced of a global technological shutdown as computers had not been configured to deal with the year 2000, which was known as the Y2K bug! It was a time of fear, panic, and anxiety for many, and not least as a term had been created as yet to describe those born into that new decade, now fondly known as the ‘noughties‘. One More Shot places itself in the midst of this chaos on New Year’s Eve in 1999, where the clocks could potentially crash at midnight but for many that night might be their ‘last shot’. Centering on Minnie, as the proverbial mid-thirties singleton, New Year’s Eve could be her last chance for romantic success in this refreshing comedy on almost having it all with a splash of time travel, too!
Directed by Nicholas Clifford, One More Shot joins a spate of films, such as Scrambled, with a complex, independent, female protagonist who still wants the conventional marriage and children but at her own pace. Minnie is seemingly a successful, qualified anaesthetist with confidence in her career abilities but is feeling the pressure to succumb to coupledom, once more, particularly as she runs into an ex on the maternity ward, where she works.
Rather than be a forlorn tale about loneliness, Clifford emphasises the humour and awkwardness of bumping into that commitment-phobe ex at a different stage in their life! Refreshingly, Emily Browning, as Minnie, chooses to dial up such awkward moments as Minnie is unfiltered and doesn’t know when to stop or walk away from situations. Inevitably, the explosion of truths is more than she could handle. But, Emily Browning plays Minnie with aplomb and fantastic comedic timing as the emotional car crashes unfold! Minnie’s circle of friends intend to gather for New Year’s Eve which she decides to avoid until learning that another ex is in town thus setting the tone for a series of slapstick events and possibilities! Minnie knows not to turn up empty-handed as a party guest, but her mysterious bottle of tequila provides her with many Sliding Doors moments and that potential to have one more shot, literally, at getting her love life back on track.
It would be simple to dismiss One More Shot as a riff on Sliding Doors, Groundhog Day, Run Lola Run, The Butterfly Effect and a plethora of films where there is a wrong for our hero or heroine to right and they are granted the time traveling ability to do so. Yet, One More Shot does not take itself seriously in that respect and instead focuses on the friendship dynamics, self-discovery and finding your tribe. Along the way, there are many differing outcomes available to Minnie, when she experiences déjà vu, but one key lesson is that timing is everything and perhaps a New Year’s Eve party is not the best moment for existential angst, which is a moment of realisation for her friends too.
Taking a quote from the recent Scottish film Departures – sometimes you have to go backwards to go forwards, which is also a sentiment fully embraced by Minnie. Interestingly, there is a degree of learning and development within the film’s repetitiveness yielding an amusing touch with different results ranging from Minnie’s expressing vulnerability to becoming an outlaw as she goes backwards in time to go forwards in her life!
The film’s surprise arrives in watching Minnie’s trajectory as she is armed with this power by tequila to change her life course. Yet, admittedly, the truly engaging moments are in watching the shifting dynamics, within this close-knit circle of university friends, as truths are unveiled over the course of the night and priorities inevitably shift.
Browning’s captivating performance saves One More Shot from falling to the bottom of a hackneyed heap as she impressively conveys an emotional sensitivity alongside a comedic veneer. The film highlights that sense of desperation, not just on New Year’s Eve, to have successfully completed your life plans for that year, but also exhibits a sense of loss for a life once wished, despite achieving other successes. It is therefore fascinating watching Browning’s portrayal of Minnie’s attempts to balance societal expectations against her own wants and desires which come to a head over that one night and fuelled by one or more shots of tequila!
Overall, One More Shot is an enjoyable journey through nostalgia with a likable anti-heroine which doesn’t apologise for relying on already present tropes from time traveling lore. There are fun performances to watch combined with light hearted humour, but its message is slightly lost. Still, the film should be given a shot, pun intended, if only to reminisce about the millennium bug concerns! Browning has also eschewed playing a stereotypical rom-com character to add a standout element in an otherwise predictable tale.
One More Shot recently screened at SXSW.
Learn more about the film at the SXSW site for the title.
You might also like…
‘Sinners’ Review: Ryan Coogler’s Film is a Spectacular, Cinematic Dance Through Blues and Horror