Intelligent people like thought-provoking movies

Rating: 9/10 (7 August 2005)

I have no idea what movie the critics who panned it and the reviewers who rated it poorly were watching. I thought that the overall premise for Butterfly Effect was quite fascinating and very thought-provoking. We've all thought about how the decisions we've made have shaped our lives, and how if we could go back and change some of them, how they would change our lives. That said, I fail to understand how anyone watching this film failed to at least identify with the basis of it. And many have been quick to say that it was unbelievable because they had three different actors playing the parts of each of the characters, one for age 7, age 13, and the adult versions. The child actors they cast not only looked exactly like the adult versions, but they put in some excellent little acting jobs as well. That said, we'll move on to the biggest reason many people did not give this movie a fair chance. Ashton. How can we take a guy who said, "Dude, sweet!" numerous times in a movie seriously? Quite easily. He put in an impressive acting job here. Not only was he convincing, but he proved he can hang in dramatic roles. Every big actor started somewhere. Jim Carrey wasn't always a blockbuster actor. He did some horrible 80s movies like "Earth Girls Are Easy" and went on to do a few silly movies. But he also did some very serious, drama-based roles, some of which have been pretty ballsy and creative. "The Truman Show", still one of my favorite Peter Weir movies, was an incredible piece of social commentary. And then there's "Man On The Moon." Johnny Depp has taken some odd roles in his career, and continues to do so. His unique choices for roles are what has shaped him as an actor. Every single big time actor has paid his dues. "Dude Where's My Car" and "Just Married" were stepping stones. They served as vehicles in order to allow Ashton to move on to something meatier. Or maybe it was just that too many people don't feel like going to a movie and having to think in order to understand it. Look at "Fight Club" and "Memento." Two very serious movies that required some very serious thought and attention to fully understand and appreciate, but both of which are tremendous pieces of cinema art. That said, if you're looking for something intense, suspenseful, and possibly a bit thought-provoking, give "Butterfly Effect" a chance. It hardly disappoints.