{Movie}: The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect: Director's Cut

Directed by: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters

Genre: Sci- Fi, Thriller

Rated: R

Year: 2004

Thoughts: Beware! Warning! This may contain spoilers!

This movie was beyond amazing! However, if you aren't a fan of confusing timelines, this may not be for you. But for my personal taste, I really like thrillers, and I love trying to figure out what is going on throughout the movie. The Butterfly Effect focuses on how Evan (Kutcher) slowly regains memories from past blackouts. He begins to use these resurfaced memories to change the present. The whole film is a confusing, ever changing plot line. It just goes to say a little can do a lot.

The film also did a really good and believable aging of the characters. The film focuses on four children, who are presented at ages 7, 13, and 21ish. The casting gods must have been watching because the progression of Evan's character is done really well. The character is played by Logan Lerman, Joseph Patrick Amedori, and Ashton Kutcher. So needless to say, the cast is really attractive.

Along with Evan's character aging, so does Kayleigh (Smart). However, Kayleigh's character goes through more than just age changes, she also goes through personality changes based on what Evan changes in her childhood, when he "travels" back in time during his blackouts. Amy Smart does a fantastic job of changing personalities. In the span of the movie, she goes from a sorority sister to a broke waitress to a heroin addict. 

I'd say the only problems I had with the movie were the junkyard scene and the ending. Actually, they weren't problems, like I didn't like the movie because of it. They were problems like they did a wonderful job of making mee cringe. The junkyard scene is terribly violent because it consists of the children brutally attacking each other. This scene also happens multiple times, so there are various angles and ways I got to watch this happen. The acting on behalf of the children (the kids didn't want stunt doubles... children.... *shakes head*) is wonderful because each time I saw that scene I had a hard time watching. The end is also really difficult to watch because the mom has to deal with another still born. I think for guys this isn't as hard, but I think that as a girl it was heartbreaking to see.

In total, I really like this movie. So much in fact that I watched it twice in the span of two days. I even made my dad and brother watch it with mee. The acting and the idea behind the movie are phenomenal! The effects were slightly cheesy, but even the directors admit to having a really small budget. With all that in mind I'd say this movie deserves a ...

Rating: 9/10

Any suggestions for movies to watch? Any opinions about the movie? 

Comment and please let me know what you're thinking! Thanks guys!