[5]

Talk about a hard pitch. Try to follow me here. So, there’s this kid. And whenever something dramatic is about to happen to him, his memory blacks out. He basically jumps a minute or two into the future, all confused and shit, and never knows what transpired. Then, when he’s in college (and played by Ashton Kutcher, fresh off That 70s Show), he is able to re-read his old diary entries and — I don’t know, magically? — learn for the first time what happened during all those black-outs. What’s more, he can actually move time and space to relive those moments and change their outcomes. But every time he tries to do the right thing, the outcomes turn out worse.

I think I have a pretty healthy suspension of disbelief with most movies, but The Butterfly Effect (written and directed by Eric Bress and Jay Mackye Gruber) kinda tested me. Fortunately, the dramatic arc of Kutcher’s character was compelling enough to help me overlook the muddled plot. Kutcher does an admirable job in a fairly dramatic role, and Amy Smart gives one of her best performances as Kutcher’s childhood sweetheart. She demonstrates remarkable range playing the same character in multiple timelines — in one she’s a cheery sorority chick, and in another she’s drug-addled gutter trash. Melora Hardin, Elden Henson, Eric Stoltz, and Logan Lerman make the most of supporting roles. Overall, the film is too convoluted to love, but sincere enough to give a look.