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The flapping of the wings of one butterfly can cause a typhoon to form in another part of the world. This is, in a nutshell, the Butterfly Effect. The movie named after this scientific theory shows us that a single event can change the lives of people forever. This thriller/drama starring ‘Mr Demi Moore’, Ashton Kutcher, is a very pleasant, clever, intelligent revelation.
Evan grew up as a young boy, without his mentally ill and violent father and was highly influenced by his friends. He suffered from serious black-outs and was unable to recall some of the tragic events that have shaped his life. Now, as a grown-up, he has found a way of dealing with some of the gruesome experiences from his childhood, by making use of the diaries he kept since he was 7 years old. Very soon, however, he finds out that changing the past means changing his future.
The great thing about this film is that up until about two-thirds of it the director leaves you completely puzzled. At first the film develops as a childhood drama but very soon it becomes clear there is more going on than the viewer is first aware of. Several times, I nearly found myself crying out: ‘what the hell is going on, what just happened?’. However, as surreal as some of the events in The Butterfly Effect may seem, somehow it works and this is mainly because of the rather intriguing screenplay, written by the directors who once penned the hideous screenplay for Final Destination 2. We have seen many similarly small independent American films with interesting plots and this one reminded me a lot of Donnie Darko.
Apart from a few bad acting performances (especially Melora Walters as Evan’s mother), this is a very interesting film in many ways. In the end it tries to be a bit over-explanatory and the movie starts dragging – and at a time when it is already obvious to the viewer how things are going to work out. Amy Smart impresses as Evan’s friend and manages to play three roles in one film, using only one character. Also, at the end, The Butterfly Effect almost dares to walk the path of a cheap, happily ending Hollywood drama but – thank heavens – stays within the borders of credibility.
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Directed by: Eric Bresse & J. Mackye Gruber
Starring: Ashton Kucher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters
Genre: Thriller, Sci-Fi, Drama
Duration: 113 minutes
Release dates: US: 23 January 2004, UK: 16 April 2004, Netherlands: 29 July 2004
If you liked this one also check out: Donnie Darko, Mystic River, Back to the Future
Arjan Welles (213 posts)Arjan Welles - law graduate. I work at a bank, I work as a film critic for Dutch and English media. My favorite directors are David Lynch, David Fincher, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino. I love arthouse over blockbusters.
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hmm.. never thought that any movie with ashton kutcher in it can receive 4 stars out of 5. how can you stand the guy btw?
Comment by isyana — Thu June 10, 2004 @ 18:59well he is not a top of the art actor but he was acceptable in this film. the film itself was amazing
Comment by arjan — Thu June 10, 2004 @ 19:39I saw this film last night in the Sneak Preview and was impressed. Dark and sinister at times, but very intriguing. Kutcher was great, considering the rubbish he’s made so far. Recommended for those who liked Memento.
Comment by weefselkweekje — Mon June 28, 2004 @ 8:10The plot was practically similar Groundhog Day, where Bill Murray finds out how to change his reality whilst keeping knowledge of the past.
Good movie, good shock moments, solid play of Kutcher.
I agree on the ‘explanatory ending’ Arjan. I would’ve preferred a more open ending.
Comment by Paco — Sat August 28, 2004 @ 23:33I really liked it. This is the first time I have ever seen Ashton Kutcher in a film. Does that make me original?
The logic within the logic of the film seemed to be accurate which is something I am always a stickler for.
Donnie Darko had more atmosphere to it (and a much better soundtrack) but was vaguer too. Butterfly Effect may have explained too much for some people’s liking, but I like it when complex ‘alternate universe’ plots are worked out fully. It’s too easy to always leave things open-ended and unanswered as in Donnie Darko or Mulholland Drive.
Comment by suzero — Thu September 22, 2005 @ 16:05i love ashton kutcher thats y i saw this movie and i love john and amy and irene and logan and sarah widdows and jesse james and i just love every1 in this movie ASHTON KUTCHER IS THE HOTTEST ACTOR EVER AND HE ROXZ IN THIS MOVIE!!~~!!
Comment by courtney — Sat October 8, 2005 @ 20:57I just watched the Director’s Cut DVD version. Erm… the ending is TOTALLY different.
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******MAJOR SPOILER WARNING******
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In the theatrical release the ending was such that Evan goes back to the moment he met Kayleigh at the birthday party and is horrible to her so she doesn’t become his friend and decides to go live with her mom instead of her abusive father.
In the director’s cut there’s an extra scene in which Evan goes to a psychic / palmreader as an adult with his mother. The psychic examines his palm and says he has no life line and was never meant to be born. He laughs it off but his mother is upset and tells him that she was pregnant twice before he was born, but that both were still-births.
The rest of the film is the same except for the end where he doesn’t go back in time to the birthday party but goes back to the moment of his birth and strangles himself in his mother’s womb, thereby making sure he is never born.
Somehow I prefered the first ending… but perhaps those who didn’t like that one will prefer this?
Also, on a second viewing I noticed that the young Evan is a bad actor or badly directed. The editing is great. (Sound) effects are great and I found the storyline where Evan’s mum gets lung cancer because she started smoking after his accident really far-fetched all of a sudden. like the scriptwriters were desperate to find a reason to make him want to go back in time again.
Comment by suzero — Mon November 21, 2005 @ 16:57I love the eyes and abs of Amy Smart what a pretty girl.`,~
Comment by Cameron Rogers — Fri July 9, 2010 @ 14:01Amy Smart is just beautiful and sexy, i want to marry a woman like her someday”.;
Comment by Harvey Morris — Sun July 11, 2010 @ 2:42