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Picture
A man with the power to send his mind back in time
​uses it to try and rewrite the wrongs of his past.
DRAMA/SCI-FI

The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Written and Directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters,
Eric Stoltz, Elden Henson, William Lee Scott, ​
​Callum Keith Rennie, Kevin Durand

Connor Eyzaguirre
September 5, 2015
8/10
For a film that I had zero expectations for, The Butterfly Effect ended up being one of the most intriguing and poignant sci-fi dramas I've seen in recent years. Driven by a surprisingly powerful performance from Ashton Kutcher, this film shows the drastic consequences of altering the past, no matter how good your intentions were.

The plot is very well written, providing a clear narrative with interesting characters (which is sometimes difficult with a time travel film). Evan's (Kutcher) journey through various realities and his traumatic past is heart-wrenching and honorable, though at times you just want to yell at the screen "Stop! Don't do it this way, do it another way!" There are certain scenes that are downright disturbing, mostly every implied scene of pedophilia with Kaylee (Amy Smart) and Tommy's (William Lee Scott) sick father. That and Evan's horrific stint in prison definitely turns this film into something more than a sci-fi flop. It takes the film into the realm of poignant drama, with Evan being given the chance to right these terrible wrongs.

I couldn't believe that I enjoyed this film. The Butterfly Effect is a memorable and sympathetic film that actually has you rooting for Ashton Kutcher, which I never thought would be possible. With a shocking ending that ties everything up rather nicely, The Butterfly Effect is an exceptional depiction of chaos theory and a welcome surprise for sci-fi fans.
Caleb Leger
September 30, 2014
8/10
To this day, The Butterfly Effect is the best Ashton Kutcher film I've seen. The film deals with the themes of changing past mistakes and how things may happen for a reason; all in the context of a time travel film. The story is fantastic, which is essentially about a young man with the ability to travel back to key moments in his life and uses this ability to help a girl he loved from his childhood.

The story can also be incredibly depressing and make you want to cry several times. I will warn you, though, there are some moments that are hard to watch; like a scene involving prison rape and a pedophile father. While it is never explicit, only implied, it can still be very hard to stomach. 

Ashton Kutcher delivers an exceptional performance, giving us a sympathetic character who only wants to help. He proves how good of a dramatic actor he is and it's a shame he hasn't done more films like this. The rest of the cast also give great performances. A great film which tells a heart wrenching story that will have you invested from beginning to end. One of my favorites to this day. 

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  • Movies
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