Cady's Take:

The Butterfly Effect asks us to consider the consequences of our own actions.
It takes its name from a premise of chaos theory: a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the world can cause a typhoon on the other end of the globe.

Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) has spent his whole life dealing with an usual and violent brain disorder, an apparent genetic anomaly (his asylum-bound father had the same quirk). At the age of seven he starts to experience blackouts at moments of high emotional stress.

Evan tries to manipulate his disorder to travel back into his past and alter pivotal moments from his childhood to create a positive present for himself and his loved ones, especially Kayleigh (Amy Smart), the battered subject of his first crush. Evan soon learns that shaping an ideal present is next to impossible, and with each attempt he only makes things worse.

A well honed comedic actor, Kutcher is less sure footed when `Effect' needs a talent of decidedly more range. Kutcher is funny on That 70's Show, but unfortunately, he is unable to make that transition from a lovable goofball to a more serious role. This film has a wildly creative premise, unfortunately, weak acting undermines it.

I was intrigued to see where the movie was going and the film does have a certain amount of energy. 'The Butterfly Effect' will undoubtedly be a hit with the teen girls anxious to see Kutcher shirtless, but serious sci-fi horror fans looking for a clever movie will feel punk'd.

I was not confident that “The Butterfly Effect” would be a strong enough project on its own to make me forget Ashton Kutcher’s character Kelso from “That 70s Show”. I am pleasantly surprised at what a well acted and suspenseful movie this is. Kutcher plays Evan, a boy with unexplained blackouts. When he and a group of friends have a frightening experience, their lives are changed forever.

Fast forward to adulthood. Evan discovers he can travel back in time and he begins a journey back and forth, each time attempting to correct a new wrong. We discover alternate outcomes for childhood sweetheart Kayleigh (Sara Ryan), her brother Tommy (William Lee Scott), and Lenny (Elden Hensen).

While the concept of time travel affecting unforeseen outcomes is not a new one, “The Butterfly Effect” gets us to care about these characters and the “unforeseen outcomes” are worth the payoff. I felt this was an original version of an old story, and it is effective. I cannot lie to you – there are logical problems with the movie. Outcomes are completely focused on these characters, and yet it stands to reason these constant changes would have wider-reaching effects? Especially since the movie opens with an instruction in chaos theory - how a butterfly flapping its wings could start a typhoon on the other side of the Earth. So, if Evan is the butterfly flapping his wings, what is the typhoon? That he is a frat boy one minute, and sent to prison the next? Seems rather limited, given the premise we are starting with. I think you can enjoy “The Butterfly Effect” in spite of those things – I did not find it hard to suspend logic. Solid plot, good acting, interesting script. This is the best kind of rental – one you rent without much hope and it exceeds expectations. To be honest, sometimes that is more satisfying than renting a sure-thing.