[SXSW 2024] OMNI LOOP -- Mary-Louise Parker Shines in Poignant, Existential Sci-Fi Comedy

Review by Sean Boelman

Caption: Mary-Louise Parker (left) and Ayo Edebiri (right) in Bernardo Britto's Omni Loop.

Although Brazilian-American filmmaker Bernardo Britto has already made his feature debut, he’s arguably more known for his work in animated shorts. Britto’s sophomore feature, Omni Loop, shares some of the quirky sensibilities of his animated work but also has an extremely strong emotional core, allowing it to resonate strongly.

The film follows a middle-aged woman with a rare condition: a black hole in her chest. This sets off a perpetual loop, forcing her to relive the same week over and over again — the “last” week of her life — until she sets out on a quest to understand why she got there. Like much of the sci-fi genre, Omni Loop isn’t subtle with its existentialist message, but it’s incredibly poignant either way. 

The first act is pretty much what you would expect from a high-concept sci-fi comedy: the characters get into hijinks as the rules of the situation are explained. Britto wisely makes the decision not to go too in-depth into the logistics of the loop, trusting the audience and their suspension of disbelief. The result is some solid laughs.

As is often the case with movies with this premise, the initial novelty wears off rather quickly. The pacing slows down significantly, and the story takes what — at least at first — seems to be a tangent. While this could cause some viewers to check out of the story, this is the type of movie where the pieces all make sense once you can see the entire picture (even the oddly-shaped ones in the middle act).

The last third of Omni Loop ties everything together in a way that’s wonderfully poignant and emotional. Although the end of the film is somewhat predictable, it feels like such a natural conclusion to the story we watched unfold that it feels entirely satisfying on an emotional level. Britto also knows how to milk the most possible emotion out of this moment.

What’s most surprising about Omni Loop is just how good Mary-Louise Parker’s performance is. In many ways, it feels like a “born for this” type of role because of just how well she slides into the role. Ayo Edibiri is fine in her supporting role, often funny even, but Parker has such a gravitas of an “I didn’t know she had this in her” variety that she commands the screen.

Visually, Omni Loop is somewhat straightforward but mostly effective. It’s not the type of sci-fi movie that’s heavy on visual effects and production design — Britto instead wants to immerse us in the (very hot, very crowded) real world of Miami, Florida. It’s a wise decision, as it allows Britto to make the story feel more grounded despite the absurdity of the premise.

At first, one might think that Omni Loop suffers from pacing issues. However, Bernardo Britto’s sophomore feature is very intricate — and patient — in nature. He takes his time letting the story and themes fall into place, but when they do, it’s profoundly moving in more ways than you could hope for.

Omni Loop screened at the 2024 SXSW Film Festival, which ran March 8-16 in Austin, TX.

​Rating: 4.5/5