Omni Loop Review — Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri Team Up in Solid Time-Loop Flick

Omni Loop

The time loop film is an exciting subgenre of sci-fi that’s grown even more popular after COVID brought us all into our own Groundhog Day. Writer/director Bernardo Brito offers the latest interpretation of the genre in Omni Loop, a more sentimental twist on the genre about an aging woman living the same week over and over in an attempt to prevent her soon-coming death. Led by an excellent Mary-Louise Parker and a solid Ayo Edebiri, this certainly isn’t the most entertaining film of its subgenre, but it offers plenty to chew on.

Omni Loop Review

Mary-Louise Parker and Ayo Edebiri in OMNI LOOP, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Zoya Lowe (Parker) is dying. We open in the hospital, where she sits awaiting a wild prognosis: her heart has a small black hole growing in it. Realistic? Probably not. After a half hour of melodrama, things take a bigger turn. A bottle of pills allows her to turn back the clock, sending her back to the hospital with a week left to live. Her goal: figure out how on Earth to survive.

It’s a fun premise, and although it’s bogged down by a saccharine first act, it gets going once Paula (Edebiri) joins Zoya on her mission. The Bear‘s Edebiri plays the same nervous, soft-spoken character she always plays. It’s getting a little exhausting, to be completely honest.

Mary-Louise Parker is stellar here. She’s brutally tender as the leading woman. The idea of exploring motherhood through the lens of a time loop film is great, and Parker’s performance makes that work very well.

Something fascinating the film tackles is what happens after the loop resets for everybody within the loop. Rarely does a time loop film stop to discuss the specifics behind the loop after the premise is explored, and having little moments where the characters discuss their theories behind it adds some much-needed depth and originality to the script.

Ayo Edebiri in OMNI LOOP, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

It’s unfortunate that outside of a good premise, Britto’s script leaves a lot to be desired. Time loops are funny! It’s a shame that the script doesn’t embrace the inherent comedic element of the situation because far too many scenes here come across as far too dramatic or boring compared to what they could’ve been. Edebiri is also a great comedic talent, and while I’d love to see her embrace a dramatic role, her character would’ve worked way better if it was comedic. 

Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s score adds plenty to the atmosphere. For better or for worse, the film has a glum tone, but Smith does an incredible job of making the tone work at least a little bit. It’s a fun, synthy piece of work that brings a lot of the simpler philosophical scenes to life. Ava Benjamin Shorr’s cinematography is good, too. It’s a shame that Britto didn’t go for something as stylized because although it’s fine photographically, the film could’ve used a stronger visual punch, something that Shorr clearly could’ve brought.

Mary-Louise Parker in OMNI LOOP, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.  

The score strangely juxtaposes with the stylized, zippy editing of Britto and Martin Anderson. The film is cut similarly to an Edgar Wright scene, with many quick montages and snappy flashbacks or cutaways. One thing is clear throughout the film: Britto doesn’t exactly know where to go with the tone. It’s clear that a little more work in the editing room could’ve pushed the film to be even better, but the end result is still great.

Is Omni Loop worth watching?

By the time the ending rolls around, Omni Loop feels a little too down to be a full home run. Taking a traditionally light trope and sticking it into a drama about coping with death is an interesting turn, but it makes the film feel ultimately a little muddled. Fortunately, led by a strong performance from Mary-Louise Parker, the film leaves a lot to chew on. It’s a solid new entry into the fun world of time loop flicks and certainly worth a watch.

Written by Cole Groth

Articles Published: 5

Hi! My name is Cole. I'm a twenty-year-old attending the University of Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. I've watched one movie every day since May 2020, with my all-time favorite film being Max Barbakow's Palm Springs (2020).