Long Story Short

Taking care to stop and smell the roses is the message at the heart of this high-concept romcom from writer/director Josh Lawson. Rafe Spall stars as Australia-based Brit, Teddy, who marries aspiring writer Leanne (Zahra Newman) following a farcical meet-cute that involves a mistaken identity and a potentially fatal nut allergy. But when Teddy is cursed by a mysterious woman he meets in a graveyard, he wakes up to find his life slipping away from him, with time leaping forward by a year every few minutes. The wedding night, Leanne's pregnancy, and the birth of a daughter all flash by and Teddy finds his relationship crumbling due to circumstances he can't control. Although the concept is superficially handled, with Teddy's baffled reactions not easily explained away and some hurried emotional scenes, there's plenty of novelty at play. Newman is consigned to more of a reactive role, making this very much a one-man show, and Spall delivers a charmingly grouchy performance in a light but enjoyable film.