‘Omni Loop’ Review – An Emotionally Grounded Time Loop Tale

Bernardo Britto’s staggering sophomore feature Omni Loop tackles the time loop concept in a unique, engaging fashion. The film follows Zoya (Mary-Louise Parker), a quantum physicist, mother, and wife, as she finds herself facing the end of her life by way of a black hole forming in her chest. It’s soon revealed that she is in a time loop, although not against her will but by choice. This is just one of Britto’s innovative decisions that throws the time loop concept on its head. Zoya keeps reliving the same week, desperately looking for anything that might help her fix the black hole in her chest. 

Omni Loop is the most moving and exciting look at the time travel genre this century, from the singular twists on the genre to the extremely compelling human story that sits at its core. Mary-Louise Parker’s performance is one for the books, taking on the tough task of portraying an insanely nuanced character. The lessons she learns really flip the script on typical themes found in time loop films, removing the sense of nihilism that finds Phil Connors in Groundhog Day (1993) and even more explicitly for Nyles and Sarah in Palm Springs (2020). Admittedly, it seems like this is where we begin with Zoya, jumping in with her in the midst of the time loop instead of seeing the instigating event that puts her there. By the time we meet her, she’s been reliving this week for years. She’s already jaded, not even having fun with others when she knows exactly what’s going to happen. 

Zoya eventually finds an ally in Paula (Ayo Edebiri), a young woman who happens to be researching time and has access to a lab. At the start of every “new” week, Zoya must convince Paula to help her out so they can continue their research and hopefully find a solution to cure Zoya. Their budding friendship jump-starts the second act in a beautiful way as they lean into each other more and more as they work together. Edebiri’s performance is especially notable because she plays against what she is seemingly known for, more of a calm and reserved presence here as opposed to the more upbeat, quirky characters she plays in films like Bottoms (2023) and Theater Camp (2023). She brings an impressive emotional weight to the film that then propels Parker’s performance into even more emotional depth. Their chemistry makes this movie and helps ground it in something more human than its sci-fi premise. 

Even with a more grounded, emotional story, Omni Loop has a quick pace with dazzling editing and a kinetic score to keep things moving along. Impressive scene transitions help keep the audience away from their phones and keep the narrative humming, as well as utilizing different camera angles and quick cuts when going back to scenes that have happened previously giving enough cinematic variation throughout the film. Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith’s score is engrossing, with cascading techno arpeggios that will ring in your ears for days to come. The contrast that comes from whimsical filmmaking and emotionally grounded, character-driven performances crafts a beautifully intimate story. It’s a great zag against the rest of the genre and pushes the boundaries of what can be worked out whilst trapped in time. 

Omni Loop is at worst solid on all fronts and in its best moments is a gripping, entertaining look at mortality, family, and the mundane. Mary-Louise Parker gets a chance to deliver a career-best big-screen performance and Ayo Edebiri shows off another side that we haven’t seen much of in her early career. This is a stellar step for Bernardo Britto as both a writer and director, and he’s certainly made a name for himself with this hit.

Omni Loop will debut in select theaters and on Digital platforms on September 20, 2024, courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.