Excellent, Unpredictable and Intriguing Screenplay  A Must- See Film

Rating: 9/10 (13 August 2004)

Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher when adult) blacks out painful memories since he was a kid. Although being the beloved son of Andrea Treborn (Melora Walters), he misses the presence of his father, who is an intern of an institution for the mentally ill. His best friends are Kayleigh and her brother Tommy, and Lenny. When Evan is about seven years old, he is advised by his doctor to write a journal, as a kind of memory exercise. When he is about twenty years old, he decides to read his notes, and realizes that he can travel in time and change his past. However, when he does it, the reality in the present changes too much, affecting the lives of his mother and friends. Evan tries to improve their lives, but he realizes that he is not God. This movie is presently in the movie theaters of Rio de Janeiro, but yesterday I rented an imported DVD. I saw the `Theatrical Version', and I found an excellent, unpredictable and intriguing screenplay. The story hooks the attention until the last scene, and it is amazing the great dramatic performance of Ashton Kutcher, since I am used to see him in comedies (`Dude, Where is My Car?', `Just Married', `My Boss Daughter' etc.). I saw also the deleted scenes, with the `Stalker Ending' and `Happy Sappy Ending' (which I liked more). This weekend, I intend to see the `Director's Cut Version'. I highly recommend this film. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): `O Efeito Borboleta' (`The Butterfly Effect')