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After losing the love of his life in a mass shooting, a good-hearted slacker wishes he could go back in time to change things. But when he gets his wish, his life turns out even worse … until he figures out what really matters.
SYNOPSIS:
Characters:
Nick Coleman (28): A goodhearted guy, who lacks ambition and tenacity. He lives in a house owned by his girlfriend, works at a home improvement store, rides a motorcycle, and has trouble sticking with jobs and tasks. But he loves to help people, and he’s madly in love with his girlfriend Jessie, whom he met at a swing dance ball.
Jessie Greer (27): A fun-loving upbeat woman who works as a CAN, attends nursing school, and loves to dance. She wears a lucky pendant/talisman that her mother (now deceased) gave her, which supposedly has magical powers.
Idyllic blue-sky day. Rows of middle-class homes with tidy lawns and family SUVs in the driveway. At the smallest house on the street, where the yard is a little overgrown, the garage door opens. Into the tranquil neighborhood rides NICK COLEMAN on a loud MOTORCYCLE. He revs the throttle and drives out of the subdivision.
In the parking lot where he works, Nicks stops to help a woman who’s struggling with packages, which makes him a little late. His boss gives him a hard time, then accuses him of damaging a product. Rather than mention the forklift driver he saw do it—and tired of working for an asshole—Nick walks out.
Shame quickly sets in that he’s quit yet another job, so he doesn’t tell his girlfriend, JESSIE GREER, until the next day as they’re headed to a charity-walk event. Stressed about her mortgage, she grips the lucky pendant she always wears, and the chain breaks. Worried, Jessie slides the pendant into a pocket and tells Nick he has to find another job ASAP.
Beautiful riverfront park: Jessie lets go of her worries and gets excited about the band that will play after the event. Nick’s more hum-hum, quits the walk early, and goes to their car to nap. Jessie finishes, heads for the live music, and dances with joy in the sun.
Suddenly, SHOTS ring out, people drop, and Jessie takes a bullet in the head. Nick, safe in the car, hears the commotion. He runs toward the park crying “Jessie!” but he can’t get near until the shooting is over. In silent chaos, he cradles Jessie’s head, waiting for a paramedic.
Hospital room: Devastated by Jessie’s fatal injury, Nick now faces a terrible choice: Take her home and care for her himself until she dies in a few weeks. Or take her to a skilled care unit. He initially brings her home, but gives up after a while and checks her into a facility.
That night, he picks up her pendant and desperately wishes to go back in time. As he says, the words, one of his TEARS drops on the TALISMAN, and the screen goes dark.
In the SECOND TIME LOOP, Nick goes to work again, but this time, his boss uses slightly different words, and Nick responds better. Nicks also suggests that the forklift driver is the one who damaged the product. His boss then pressures him to work the next day.
That night DEVIN MILLER (27), gets fired (because Nick blamed him earlier). It’s the final straw for him. Seething with rage, he goes home to his basement apartment, gets online where he visits dark-net websites, and chats with another hater. They decide to go ahead with simultaneous shootings they have planned. But Devin has focused on a new target.
The next morning, Jessie goes to the charity event by herself, and Nick goes to work. Devin loads up his assault rifles, heads to the home improvement store, and starts SHOOTING people. Nick takes two bullets, one that damages his spinal cord.
Second Act. Nick struggles to endure the pain of rehab exercises and eventually gives up, accepting life in a wheelchair, even though his doctors say he can walk. Anguished, Jessie pulls away, feeling like she doesn’t know him anymore.
Nick finally hits bottom and moves back home with his mother. But soon, he meets TRAVIS (7), who lost both his legs, yet walks and plays on prosthetics and expresses gratitude for his healthy brain. Nick teaches the boy how to keep his shoes tied in a special way—and remembers how good it feels to be helpful.
Inspired, he goes back to rehab, works hard, and soon can get around with a walker. He also sets up a list of shooting victims and calls each one, offering to help in any way he can. Their response is so positive, he starts a newsletter and website for victims across the country. Feeling like himself, he asks Jessie if they can start dating again.
Joyful at his progress, Jessie also feels crushed and conflicted—because she recently met someone else. Tears running, she grabs her pendant and says, “I wish we could start over.”
Third time loop. In separate homes, Nick and Jessie get ready for a dance at the ballroom. There, Nick sees Jessie and wants to meet her, but other dancers keep pulling him away. Abruptly, Devin shows up and starts SHOOTING. Jessie’s hit first. Nick sees her on the floor and drags her to safety, taking a bullet in his shoulder as he does.
Hospital. Their wounds are less severe this time, and they meet in a patient lounge. In a sweet (tearful) scene, they make plans to hang out and express a sense that they already know each other. Nick also says, “I’m not a quitter,” so we know he’s a changed man.