Stinky. A pathetic attempt at intelligence in film -- AVOID AT ALL COSTS

Rating: 2/10 (3 November 2004)

I was *thoroughly* disappointed by this movie. I went (vicariously, of course) through all this horrifying abuse -- sexual, physical, mental, perpetrated on children, no less, by a FATHER -- and it was all for nothing.
The author doesn't even end up following the premise; whoever wrote it has no clue about the butterfly effect. Going back to give himself stigmata? Just sneezing -- as opposed to violent self-mutilating -- that he hadn't done the first go-around would've landed him in an entirely different place, not to mention already having the stigmata precluding their use as appearing-out-of-nowhere proof. Ugh. The 2 main characters' acting/screen presences, and maybe the mom's, are the only reason I didn't give the movie a 1. I guess it's nice to have an *attempt* at intelligent entertainment, but the lack of understanding of how the butterfly effect works, coupled with all the hell the characters endure, plus the depressing ending (don't misunderstand me -- sad endings are fine, even necessary [example: Peter Jackson betrayed us and Tolkein in an otherwise almost perfect adaption by crapping up Eowyn's resolution, suggesting that he didn't understand her at all -- but that's for another review!]) make this movie a miserable waste of time, compounded by the fact that it had such promise. VERY disappointing.