I recently saw this movie on cable, and I don't know what was worse - The story, the acting, Jennifer Love Hewitt's shameless self promotion, the dialog, (both in the script and as executed with varying accents),or the ultimate message of the movie (strong attraction = true love = proving your love with the ultimate sacrifice).

I can just see JLH, as producer, saying, "Let's show how I inspire my students and how much they love me... How sexy my boyfriend thinks I look in my lingerie... How funny I am when I'm nervous and bumbling on and on about why I'm there... And then let's get me singing - with an orchestra, and a chorus!... And then show me singing again! Oh... and don't forget to call in favors and have everyone we know come to IMDb to promote it!"

There is no way that females over 13, or males (of any age) would give this movie an average of 7. For a film about "do-overs" and redemption, (that is also actually funny),you'd be happier seeing Groundhog Day for the umpteenth time, instead of this vanity movie-of-the-week.

English Ian Wyndham (Paul Nicholls) lives with his American girlfriend Samantha Andrews (Jennifer Love Hewitt) in London. She wants to go back to Ohio for her mother's wedding but he refuses. He had forgotten about her graduation concert. He cracks his watch. He has a big meeting and reschedules a business dinner so he could go to the concert. She embarrasses him interrupting his meeting. After work, he takes the taxi and starts talking to the driver (Tom Wilkinson). She can't take his callousness anymore and breaks up with him. He lets her leave in the taxi and it gets T-boned killing her. The next morning, he's shocked to wake up next to Sam and it's Groundhog Day.

The first 30 minutes is a boring tiresome story. The guy is a clueless stiff who is driving his girlfriend away. It's not a good relationship and I don't care about its survival. The audience isn't given much to root for in this movie. It kills off the only endearing character at 45 minutes but don't worry, it's Groundhog Day. The movie gets a little better. It's trying to do something poetic. The dialog is clunky at times and Love's singing isn't my particular thing. I don't think she's that good of a singer. It's a really bad start and the second half is a bit better.

Christina Welsh has written a fine screenplay that proves that old ideas can be re-worked in a thoroughly original way. Gil Junger steps out of his role as a director for TV series and molds Welsh's story into a visually charming and sensible, touching movie. Add the considerable talents of one highly regarded pro (Tom Wilkinson) and two underrated young bright lights (Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul Nicholls) and the result is a little film that is polished, absorbing, and genuinely tender.

Samantha (Hewitt) is a musician living and studying in London where she is in a healthy relationship with a handsome young executive Ian (Nicholls): though obviously in love, Ian is more involved with his work than Samantha would like and on the day of her 'finals concert' they have a spat over several issues. On his way to his all-important meeting Ian encounters a taxi driver (Wilkinson) who gives him some sage advice about his love life. Abruptly Samantha is killed in a freak auto accident and Ian is devastated. In his grief he strangely awakens to the same day in which Samantha was killed, and through a series of working through the elements of his life where he failed her (with a bit of aid from the taxi driver),Ian has an 'If only' experience, a time to re-evaluate his love for Samantha, his life, and his changes. A twist in the events brings the story to a surprise but apropos ending.

From what could have been yet another love-death tearjerker of a Hollywood movie emerges a story with heart and with some poignant lessons for us all. Hewitt proves a fine actress in this film and is beautifully paired by the exciting presence of relative newcomer Paul Nichols. It is not a great movie, but it is one that will pleasantly surprise viewers who may have though it was just another 'chick flick'. Give it a chance - it is worth it! Grady Harp