6:45 Review: A Horrifying Groundhog Day

Release date: August 6, 2021
Running time: 91 minutes
Directed By: Craig Singer
Written By: Robert Dean Klein
Starring: Michael Reed, Augie Duke, Thomas G. Waites, Armen Garo, Remy Ma, The 45 King, Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini, Joshua Matthew Smith, Sabina Freidman-Seitz, Allie Marshall, Leonardo Mancini, and Sasha K Gordon 

Bobby Patterson (Michael Reed) is taking one last romantic shot at saving his rocky relationship with his girlfriend, Jules Rables (Augie Duke) on a weekend getaway to the picturesque island resort of Bog Grove. To their bewilderment, the sleepy beach town is curiously deserted, but they soon learn about its notorious and bloody history – one that's about to repeat itself again and again. 

6:45 has a lot of mystery, especially in the opening.  The film doesn't tell you much of what is going on, but it has a slow start to get you used to the characters and their relationship before the main groundhog day-like nightmare begins.  And this early part is crucial to establishing the characters and the strange predicament.  There is just something off about this town and the time spent with them highlights this.  Some of the people act strangely, some of the mannerisms feel abrasive or unnatural, and then there is the way that the day always ends that is unsettling.  And the main couple of Bobby and Jules are a lot of fun as well.  They have a comfort and a charm about them that really drives this movie.  They have fun but you can tell that there is something just a little off.  Some of the comments from the townsfolk seem like they know the couple a little better than you would expect, and some of the comments from the couple also feel like there is more of a past than originally anticipated.   

And the setting and story of this film are impressive for an indie. The production is quite good with only a few touches that let you know this was a film with budget constraints.  The groundhog day aspect is a smart one as it let them resuse sets and locations easily, but there is enough variety here that it doesn't quite get old.  Sure a few of the repeats were a little too similar to the previous one, but there is enough progression to keep everything interesting.

However, although I like the premise and a horror-based groundhog day is definitely something I would enjoy, the repeat here was interesting but did get old fast.  Maybe it was the method, maybe it was the ultimate conclusion, but something did feel a little too familiar.  I don't think there were enough changes to the overall scheme (which is partly due to the location and partly due to the indie nature) and the final scene did feel a little contrived.  I understood what it was doing but some of the repetitive aspects felt a little off and I didn't love how the main character reacted to it.  But overall there is enough variety to keep it interesting and some of the more extreme choices are clever.  And the twisted groundhog day aspect does come into the core story as well.  There is a reason to the madness.  And although the end does answer the main questions, it also leaves plenty up to interpretation.  

6:45 is a well done indie horror film, with a groundhog day style and plenty of dread in this live, die, repeat type film.

Watch it.

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6:45 is available in select Regal Theaters on August 6, 2021.  For showtimes, click here. 

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