Butterfly Effect

What a great concept. I was very excited to see this movie that was based on the Chaos Theory. Though I was a bit concerned about Ashton Kutcher possibly ruining the movie. I mean, he is the weakest link on That 70's Show and it was not until he started to date Demi Moore that he landed roles (8 movies in 3 years since dating, 4 movies in 4 years prior).

As it turns out Kutcher was the strong point in the acting. Ironically the weakest point was another actor playing the same (but younger) character as Kutcher. That actor was 12 year old actor Logan Lerman. He was not alone on the long list of bad acting.

The most difficult assignment in my view was Amy Smart who played the many different dimensions of Kayleigh Miller. Her task was difficult...from Kayleigh as a happy, in-love soroity girl to a miserable, wretched hooker...she had the opportunity to shine as an actress with great range. She instead was marginal. Amy needs to stick to bit roles in comedies like Starsky & Hutch or bad movies like Varsity Blues.

The special effects were good, especially considering the very low budget. The story was well written though I was horribly disappointed with the ending. There so much potential for a wide range of endings, but we watched a moderately happy ending...something that this film did not seem to beg for. Instead it had hints of endings that were ironic or tragic. Had this ended with Kutcher in the asylum without his journals I would have been really satisfied with the movie. Maybe even showing that he was tied down and Lenny (Elden Hensen) in an exact reversal from an earlier scene.

My first thought after the movie was over was that a great ending would have been for Kutcher to have been "caught" half-in and half-out of his transportation while watching movies thus rendering him permanently in a half-and-half state...his punishment for ignoring his father's warnings.

When the film was over I was very disappointed and left wanting better resolution. I had finally been able to get over the laundry list of horrible actors and was not bored with the special effcts. But I felt ripped off.

Grade: C