Featured Audience Ratings

• Alice S

  
  Aubrey Plaza is a snark-a-chino priestess, with that ever-present sideways glower and so-hard-she-shits-nails deadpan. Quarter-life ennui meets time travel. The former is charming and bittersweet (with Jeff's reformed playboy and subsequent revenge-relapse at the expense of and… More
  Aubrey Plaza is a snark-a-chino priestess, with that ever-present sideways glower and so-hard-she-shits-nails deadpan. Quarter-life ennui meets time travel. The former is charming and bittersweet (with Jeff's reformed playboy and subsequent revenge-relapse at the expense of and to the benefit of the nebbish Arnau), but the latter lacks both psychological and scientific explanation. *Spoilers* Kenneth IS revealed to be delusional if not paranoid, so I'm guessing his real reason for going back wasn't to bring back his assumed-dead sweetie but to keep himself from driving her away. Is he aware of this somewhat alarming coping mechanism? If he's falling in love with Darius throughout, why doesn't he just tell her the real reason? Was it an act, or is he still legit kerazy? It doesn't take much for Darius to trust him again. Then if they're going back to save Darius' mom, shouldn't they consider the butterfly effect consequences trumpeted in nearly every time travel movie?

• Thomas J

  
  I would risk the trip! Quirky, offbeat, fun, happy, sad, this movie has it all HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! We all know of something in our past that would make us forget that guaranteed " safety" could be optional!!

• Kevin C

  
  An awful, awful romance tossed into a charming indie adventure.

• Spencer S

  
  A strange little indie gem, "Safety Not Guaranteed" has a lot of creative support to its rosters of stars, which is where most of the magic that surrounds this film emanates. Comprised of mostly television actors, some of the cast go to extraordinary lengths to play people… More
  A strange little indie gem, "Safety Not Guaranteed" has a lot of creative support to its rosters of stars, which is where most of the magic that surrounds this film emanates. Comprised of mostly television actors, some of the cast go to extraordinary lengths to play people they don't normally get to. That of course is not true for "Parks and Recreation" cast member and all around strange human being Aubrey Plaza. Playing yet another role where she's a sardonic and dispassionate young woman with little ambition and yet a lot of attitude, she outshines everyone else yet again with her intentional dark humor and sullen disposition. A prime example of someone playing a character outside of their general repertoire is Jake Johnson from "New Girl" fame as a seasoned and pompous newspaper reporter who leads his two interns (Plaza and newcomer Karan Soni) to a nowhere town for a story for Seattle Magazine. It involves a placed ad looking for a companion to time travel with, and through the intern's efforts they find a despondent and possibly crazed man who takes on Plaza's character (which is obviously just her playing herself) and trains her for a top secret mission. Each of the characters go through a kind of change throughout the film, whether it's Johnson realizing true happiness and then having it diminished instantaneously, Plaza realizing how cloistered she is thanks to the death of her mother, or Soni finally summoning the courage to follow his gut feeling. The ending is spontaneous and unthinkable, which was great for such a modest film. Most of the off-the-wall comedic moments come from the heartfelt performance of Mark Duplass (of the directing team of the Duplass brothers) that really goes beyond the normal call of duty as the time travelling and delusional blue collar worker. It was definitely heady and interesting, to say the least, and though it slows in places and Johnson's storyline is superfluous, it all simply works.

• Sanjay R

  
  This is a funny and unique film that keeps you interested until the very end. The story has you wondering where it may go the entire time and the actors are very nice in their roles. Their is not a whole lot more to it, this is just a rock solid film.

• Idrees K

  
  True to it's main characters, the film is quiet, cautious and reserved. It is charming and honest, with some good laughs, but it just feels like there's something missing. I very much enjoyed the fact that I kept doubting whether or not I knew what was the truth. However,… More
  True to it's main characters, the film is quiet, cautious and reserved. It is charming and honest, with some good laughs, but it just feels like there's something missing. I very much enjoyed the fact that I kept doubting whether or not I knew what was the truth. However, the storylines of half the leads seem irrelevant to the end goal, and maybe I'm shortsighted, but I don't see the reason for their inclusion.

• Melvin W

  
  Kenneth: I'm going back for you now.  Safety Not Guaranteed is a movie that exemplifies the indie genre. The film is quiet, real, and weirdly sci-fi like. The movie was much better than I could have ever anticipated. From the offset I was struck with the indie feel of the movie,… More
  Kenneth: I'm going back for you now.  Safety Not Guaranteed is a movie that exemplifies the indie genre. The film is quiet, real, and weirdly sci-fi like. The movie was much better than I could have ever anticipated. From the offset I was struck with the indie feel of the movie, which I loved. When it finally got into the story more, I began falling in love with it. There's something I appreciate so much in these quiet, but smart indie comedies. The Duplass' being involved as executive producers and Mark Duplass actually acting in the film should give you an idea of what the movie is going for.  Darius is a young intern for a magazine. When one of the writers for the magazine pitches an idea for an article about a man who put an ad in the paper because he needed a partner to go back in time with; she finds herself as part of a three man team to try to figure out who this guy is and if he really believes he can do it. Darius goes undercover and acts like an interested candidate for the partnership, as she tries to piece together a story on this guy. The film has more complexity to it by way of the characters, but I don't want to get into the characters and their relationships in the movie as it could ruin the film to a degree. The movie has a lot to say about love. Past love, future love, present love; all of it is touched upon in this great little film. The story is one that works well even when we should be saying, "What the fuck?" Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass were absolutely perfect and gave this movie stability by perfecting their characters so well. The film was extremely interesting and all the pieces of the movie seemed to fit just about perfect. Safety Not Guaranteed is a film worth looking into. It's sweet and also pretty entertaining as well. It's well worth a look.

• ♥˩ƳИИ &

  
  "<b>Safety Not Guaranteed</b> is one of those odd quirky indie films that I love finding. The story is original and unlike anything I have watched before. That is why I love indie films. They are always bringing something fresh to the screen. I'm a fan of Jake… More
  "<b>Safety Not Guaranteed</b> is one of those odd quirky indie films that I love finding. The story is original and unlike anything I have watched before. That is why I love indie films. They are always bringing something fresh to the screen. I'm a fan of Jake Johnson. I love him in New Girl and I think he's very funny. I'm a fan of Mark Duplass as well. He's funny and plays odd characters. Aubrey Plaza I haven't seen a lot of, but I liked her in this. The movie is funny, adventurous, and sweet. A good little romance film for V-Day. If your a fan of odd and quirky and like out of the box films, this one is for you."

• Michael S

  
  "Safety Not Guaranteed" is that rare indie gem that's sweet, heartfelt and funny without having to resort to that usual overwritten, over-indie sensibility. This is a film that has faith in it's characters and gives them room to breathe. The result is a surprise… More
  "Safety Not Guaranteed" is that rare indie gem that's sweet, heartfelt and funny without having to resort to that usual overwritten, over-indie sensibility. This is a film that has faith in it's characters and gives them room to breathe. The result is a surprise charmer. I'm not usually a fan of Aubrey Plaza's brand of deadpan smug, but she was really good here... as was Jake Johnson and especially Mark Duplass.

• Dan S

  
  A surprisingly sweet, delicately constructed character study concerning a news team who stumbles upon an advertisement in the paper of a "time traveler" (Mark Duplass) looking for a companion to accompany him for his next mission. While not as uproarious as it is made out to… More
  A surprisingly sweet, delicately constructed character study concerning a news team who stumbles upon an advertisement in the paper of a "time traveler" (Mark Duplass) looking for a companion to accompany him for his next mission. While not as uproarious as it is made out to be, it still has a wonderful sense of humor to it, and the relationships between the characters are given the most attention and care, and it strikes a wonderful balance of subtle comedy mixed with romantic nostalgic studies. Plaza appears to just be an extended form of her "Parks and Recreation" character at first, but just like the film grows into itself, she exhibits some surprising versatility while still maintaining her trademark deadpan nature. Duplass (from the popular and hilarious TV show "The League") is fantastic, and the film even fits in time to color its supporting characters through nice, simple touches that, like the film, never cross over into self-indulgence.

• Raymond W

  
  Safety No Guaranteed is a hilarious, moving, heartfelt film that features an odd, but utterly original story, and strong performances from it's cast especially Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza. Deftly combining comedy, drama, and suspense, Safety Not Guaranteed is guaranteed to… More
  Safety No Guaranteed is a hilarious, moving, heartfelt film that features an odd, but utterly original story, and strong performances from it's cast especially Mark Duplass and Aubrey Plaza. Deftly combining comedy, drama, and suspense, Safety Not Guaranteed is guaranteed to have you laughing and crying at the same time. You will leave the theatre having wanted a longer movie, considering it's run-time comes in at 85 minutes.

• Everett J

  
  I'm a big fan of independent movies. They always seem to tell the most unique stories with some of the most offbeat characters. More times than not though the movies are boring, or just aren't as good as they could have been. But then, you'll watch a movie like… More
  I'm a big fan of independent movies. They always seem to tell the most unique stories with some of the most offbeat characters. More times than not though the movies are boring, or just aren't as good as they could have been. But then, you'll watch a movie like "Safety not Guaranteed" that gives you everything you want in a smaller budget flick. A magazine reporter takes two interns on a trip to investigate an ad that was in the paper for a story to write. The ad is for a partner to travel back in time, but their safety couldn't be guaranteed. The cast is all perfect, with Mark Duplass giving an amazing performance as Kenneth the man who placed the add. He will definitely be up for a Spirit Award this year. He's kind of like an older Napoleon Dynamite, just not as awkward. There is a lot of funny moments here, and then there are some very sweet quieter moments. Running around 88 minutes, the movie never over stays it's welcome, and keeps you guessing on whether or not Kenneth is crazy up until the end. I really dug this movie, but I am into movies that aren't really like anything else out there, and this fits that bill perfectly. We need more movies like this, and I think people should give it a shot, you won't be disappointed.

• c0up  

  
  'Safety Not Guaranteed'. Funny, sweet, touching. Aubrey Plaza and Mark Duplass share many a great moment together! And *that* song, lovely. It's a pity that the B-story felt so weak in comparison.

• Mark R

  
  I can generally tell within the first five or ten minutes if I'm going to dislike a movie. Sure, sometimes things get off to a shaky start and salvage themselves as a story is allowed to develop, but unfortunately it's often the opposite, and something that starts well… More
  I can generally tell within the first five or ten minutes if I'm going to dislike a movie. Sure, sometimes things get off to a shaky start and salvage themselves as a story is allowed to develop, but unfortunately it's often the opposite, and something that starts well falters later on. Colin Trevorrow's Safety Not Guaranteed, a film with a more unpleasant opening than anything I've seen recently, tried valiantly to win me back but was sadly only around halfway successful. The film stars Aubrey Plaza as Darius an interning magazine journalist sent with two colleagues to research a story about a bizarre and mysterious classified ad seeking a partner in a time travel mission. What follows is a fairly generic love story which is sweet enough, and the quirky time travel element provides a freshness lacking in many indie romances. Plaza is her usual moody self, yet is allowed to strip away some of her trademark cynicism as her character warms to Kenneth (Mark Duplass), the potentially damaged loner responsible for the classified ad, showing a tender side not seen from her before. Their relationship is a cute coming together of two social misfits, and works pretty well despite some questionable plot holes and an ending that doesn't quite add up. However, this is only half of Safety Not Guaranteed, and Darius and Kenneth's story is hampered by a brief runtime (86 minutes), too much of which is spent on the secondary story concerning Darius' fellow intern Arnau (Karan Soni) and boss Jeff (Jake Johnson). Any warmth Trevorrow generates in scenes of Darius and Kenneth is obliterated every time the film switches to the mean-spirited, creepy antics of Jeff, who is using the trip to rekindle a past romance with Liz (Jenica Bergere), dragging troubling ethnic stereotype Arnau along for the ride. Jeff is such a leering, off-putting character, uncomfortably dragging what could be a decent film down an irredeemable degree, and after the ham-fisted attempt at redemption following his encounter with Liz blows up in his face, he simply slips back into his obnoxious persona, giving gross macho advice to the meek Arnau. The jarring juxtaposition of the two narrative threads results in a film that is tonally all over the place, sending contradictory messages and wrapping up with little satisfaction. There is a charming if slight romance in Safety Not Guaranteed, it's just a pity it is surrounded with such a distasteful garnish. tinribs27.wordpress.com

• Manu G

  
  A Delightful Surprise. Great Film! Great dramadies are few and far between these days. They are usually too unfocused, can't find that perfect balance between comedy and drama, and try too hard to be profound when it comes to taking a look at the human condition. Safety Not… More
  A Delightful Surprise. Great Film! Great dramadies are few and far between these days. They are usually too unfocused, can't find that perfect balance between comedy and drama, and try too hard to be profound when it comes to taking a look at the human condition. Safety Not Guaranteed finds a way past all these things. It has a clear and poignant focus that drives a heartfelt and oddly moving story. It's a great blend of comedy and drama as it tells a great story on a very human level, but also delivers its own pleasant brand of comedy. It's more clever comedy than laugh out loud comedy, but it fits just right for what this movie is trying to accomplish. Safety Not Guaranteed could have easily been a sham and it could have gone too far overboard on its profundities. Instead, the excellent script keeps itself at bay and manages to tell a story that is more sincere than one would expect and feels more real than a dramady that is trying to be the most realistic of human stories. There's nothing here that will floor you or blow you out of the water, but it truly is a lovely and heartwarming story. The film's ending left me torn. No matter if you are the kind of person rooting for Kenneth to be vindicated, or believe he is crazy all along...the story keeps you hooked until the credits roll. Safety Not Guaranteed was a breakout hit from the Sundance Film Festival, and contains the spirit of what independent films strive to be. It's authentic, creative, unusual, and a breath of fresh air. It's fun to see what independent filmmakers come up with when they aren't restrained by the annoyance of making every viewer happy. If you are up for something different...do yourself a favor and see this one. Darius is a young intern at a Seattle-based magazine and jumps at the chance to investigate the author of a classified ad seeking someone to travel back in time with. Along with Jeff, the staff writer, and Arnau, a fellow intern, the three go on a road trip to a coastal town. While Jeff just wants to chase after his high school crush and Arnau wants some kind of life experience, Darius spends her time with Kenneth, a man who believes that he has built a time machine. The closer they become and the more they understand about each other, the less clear it becomes if Kenneth is just crazy or if he actually is going to successfully travel back in time.

• MisterYoda ?

  
  two and a half

• Liam G

  
  One of 2012's most refreshing and heartwarming films.

• Jason S

  
  A really good character movie. I wish it would have been a little longer and held onto the character moments a little bit more as well. It's a satisfying movie.

• Tired of P

  
  Question: If you could go back in time, what time would you return to and why? Normally I answer, or vaguely answer, my own questions in these reviews but I?m not going to on this one. I am not an overly nostalgic person unless it has to do with a film or a band. Plus, after seeing… More
  Question: If you could go back in time, what time would you return to and why? Normally I answer, or vaguely answer, my own questions in these reviews but I?m not going to on this one. I am not an overly nostalgic person unless it has to do with a film or a band. Plus, after seeing Safety Not Guaranteed this past weekend, I learned a valuable lesson. Sorry if this confuses anyone but you will just have to see Safety Not Guaranteed to understand what I am referring to?.or trying to, at least. I have wanted to see this film for a long time. There was just something about the story that drew me to it ? not too long ago I even posted the preview on here; and I save those posts usually for films that I think will be interesting, unique or that tell a story that will move me. This one did, not drastically, but enough to get me out of my writer?s block (fingers crossed) and make me contemplate parts of my life. That?s what I want from most films, art, books, etc?an opportunity to think; notice something you hadn?t before; and look upon an idea with a fresh perspective, etc? Safety Not Guaranteed took on an age-old idea: looking back on your past with regret and hoping you can change things so you wouldn?t be unhappy now. And the filmmakers made a charming, perfectly decent film that will just make you smile. Plus, they added the idea of time travel. Who wouldn?t like that, right? So, I ask again, would you want to go back in time and why? For most, I believe, the reasoning will involve another person: a partner, girlfriend, boyfriend, parent or someone with whom you hurt or they did something that haunts you, still. We all make mistakes. Mistakes are thrust upon us. We fall in love with the wrong person, or the right person, and hearts get broken no matter what. Also, we can be cruel to another. Admit it ? we have ALL been there. We are human. Safety Not Guaranteed represented several aspects of people?s regret and/or searching for the cure to change their current situation. And I think most will be able to relate. Now the next question(s): Could we fix it? Should we fix it? Would we be better off if we changed these brief, few moments of the past? Or are we where we are supposed to be? Thinking about regrets is enough to drive you a little mad. And that?s how the actor in this film, Mark Duplass? character, is portrayed. Someone who must be insane because he puts a classified ad in the paper requesting a partner go back in time with him. He declares it will be dangerous and your safety will not be guaranteed. His ad intrigues a magazine editor ? enough to send a writer and two interns to check the story out. There are a couple other character in this film that display the same sort of desire to change their present by reaching towards the past: The young intern, Darius, played by Aubrey Plaza and her boss, Jeff, played by Jake. M. Johnson. Both these characters represented the vast differences on why someone would want to go back in time. I liked both characters, a lot. In fact, Jeff was one that kept the comedy going in this film. He?s the type of guy you don?t want to like but he evokes sympathy when you aren?t expecting. Darius is a sarcastic girl that has a deep, hidden secret on why she is unhappy now. As for the rest of the story, no more details. Just go see this film. It is slated as a comedy, and it was absolutely funny at parts but it is not slap stick or a joke every few minutes type of film. The humor is subtle and well placed. Safety Not Guaranteed showed real humor, the humor we all have in our lives. The absurdity that is ever present ? that?s what makes it a comedy. However, I would categorize this as a drama as well. And that?s a compliment. Bottom line: Just give me a good story, tell it well and with respect (especially for the audience), and you?ve got a fan in me. Safety Not Guaranteed did all three. Well done! My favorite thing: There might too many things to list here. I just really, really liked this film. Okay, I laughed OUT LOUD when Jeff raises his fists in the air. His reaction to what was happening just kept me smiling and smiling. My least favorite thing: I got nothing this time. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Big Beach Films, 2012 Genre: Comedy Starring: Aubrey Plaza, Jake M. Johnson, Mark Duplass, Karan Soni, Jeff Garlin and Kristen Bell. Rating: R Length: 86 minutes Review: 9 out of 10

• Greg S

  
  A depressed college student interning at a magazine finds a purpose when she begins investigating a man who has placed a personal ad looking for a time-traveling companion. When the growing relationship between the moody girl and the crazy guy gets hard to swallow, the supporting… More
  A depressed college student interning at a magazine finds a purpose when she begins investigating a man who has placed a personal ad looking for a time-traveling companion. When the growing relationship between the moody girl and the crazy guy gets hard to swallow, the supporting characters---her reprobate supervisor and a nerdy fellow intern---take up the dramedy slack; it's minor, but too humorous and sweet to dislike.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings