Whatever happened to Joanathan Slverman? He made some mildly entertaining movies for cable in the 1990s and then. ... Well, anyhow, here he is in a reasonably decent knockoff of GROUNDHOG DAY, only this one involves murder and a faulty particle accelerator that could spell doom. Silverman plays a mild mannered office worker who falls for a curvy scientist played by Helen Slater. (Get in line, Jonathan.) Problem is, he no sooner meets her when she's shot dead. And he wakes up the next morning to find it's the same day all over again. He tries to save her but fails. On the third day, he starts to get smart. She of course finds it hard to believe they are in a time loop, since she doesn't recall any of the things he does. The movie is actually lighthearted and lively, thanks to Silvermaa and Slater and a script that doesn't take itself too seriously. Jeremy Piven has a supporting role as Silverman's wisecracking office buddy, and Martin Landau plays an obsessed scientist. 12:01 is breezy and easy to take, if a little too much like GROUNDHOG DAY.
Review of 12:01
