Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart

A young man blocks out harmful memories of significant events of his life. As he grows up, he finds a way to remember these lost memories and a supernatural way to alter his life.

Flixster Users

81% liked it

543,714 ratings

Critics

33% liked it

162 critics

R, 1 hr. 53 min.

Directed by: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber

Release Date: January 23, 2004

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DVD Release Date: July 20, 2007

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Stats: 36,190 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (36,190)


  • September 18, 2009
    Ashton Kutcher is someone I just can?t stand but this film isn't too bad.
  • March 19, 2009
    Why does everybody like this movie? It's stupid, it contradicts itself, and the ending is a total cop-out. (the director's cut isn't any better, only more depressing)
  • January 31, 2009
    Ashton Kutcher's character blocks out painful memories and develops supernatural powers that can alter his life.
  • January 30, 2009
    A complex, yet utterly engrossng story which keeps you on the edge of your seat. The acting from Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart actually surprised me as it was very good and i wasn't expecting much from them in terms of acting skil. The film is cleverly made with a lot of effort ha...( read more)ving gone into it. The film is thought provoking yet also sad and tragic. There are a few special feature documentaries about how the film was made etc. I have ony seen the director's cut and not the theatrical version so i can't say what major differences there are. Nonetheless i still thought this film was great.
  • January 2, 2009
    Directed by: Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber.
    Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Melora Walters, William Lee Scott.

    << "You can't change who people are without destroying who they were." >>

    At the end of the day, the people who see this film...( read more) are gunna be split down the middle, there will be the ones who like it....and the ones who hate it, not much of an in between. I chose to thoroughly watch the film, I decided to block some things out of my mind....the bad choice as a leading man...and the audience that seems to love this film (mainly teens)...and I enjoyed it so much more and saw the complexities of the film.

    The film is dark, haunting and very tragic, there is nothing happy about it and that helps to make the film different from all these Hollywood 'happy' films. I read somewhere that Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber spent years tweaking the script and making sure it was as perfect as it could be...and it is close. It is smartly written, surprisingly complex, far-fetched but cleverly executed and actually quite original, it does take the basic idea of time travel and adds a layer of human nature to it, rather than a scientifical.

    The idea alone of 'The Butterfly Effect' or 'Chao's Theory' is amazing...'Something as small as a flutter of a butterfly's wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world'...adding that human flaw to the idea was the best thing the writers could have done. Any problems with the actions that are written for the characters has nothing to do with plot holes (some people still believe there are), but to do with the mistakes that we as humans make all the time. The film is amazingly strung together, for the first 30 minutes of film we are rushed through the first years of the main characters life, when I saw this first time, I didn't like how they were rushing there way through with no real development...but very craftily, they backtrack over memories and build each character individually.

    Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber's direction is full of vision and control, they know what they want to do with this film and they did it with what limitations they had.

    The acting is really nothing special, with Ashton Kutcher being the worst choice for the film, pulling out every dramatic role he would have ever seen, trying to copy them and fails miserably...and when you have two kid actors who play him at ages 6 and 13, who are far better actors, you know you have problems...but surprisingly enough the acting didn't bother me so much, as these characters come forward on there own and develop without any help from the actors.

    The score is truly heartbreaking, yet beautiful...who would have thought that such a simple orchestral piece could bring another level of emotion to the film.

    I think its all down to how you connect with the film, the audience will certainly be split down the middle, I admire the films surprising complexities of human nature and the care that was put into this project by its filmmakers. I'd recommend you see it and see what side you take, just don't expect a happy ending from this film, it is dark, haunting and tragic and will leave you with a sense of sadness for some time afterward.

    79/100

    << "If anyone finds this, it means my plan didn't work and I'm already dead. But if I can somehow go back to the beginning of all of this, I might be able to save her." >>

  • November 19, 2009
    Me gusto la pelicula pero para verla solo una vez y ya.
    El destino es el destino... y no puedes escapar de el.
  • November 17, 2009
    I loved this movie, go watch it right now! though its sad somehow.
  • November 16, 2009
    dah ada filmnya tinggal tonton dl..
  • November 13, 2009
    Great Movie, good to see with a group of people or without. Ashton did a great job doing the role. This movie is better than Donnie Darko even though people compare the two for some odd reason.
  • November 13, 2009
    Strange and unusual... I myself am strange and unusual

Critic Reviews


January 29, 2004
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Nothing can save this repetitive bore. Dude, where's your memory? full review

January 23, 2004
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Ultimately just feels like a mess, screeching back and forth in time, dragging its actors from one miserable scene to another. full review

January 23, 2004
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

It's trash, and yet there will always be a place for this kind of trash at the movies. full review

January 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

There's so much flashing forward and backward, so many spins of fate, so many chapters in the journals, that after awhile I felt that I, as well as time, was being jerked around. full review

January 23, 2004
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

A film of singularly boneheaded conceits, Butterfly is populated by, and appears to have been made by, stoned college dudes more hung up on oh-wow twists than the need to make sense. full review

January 22, 2004
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer

Profoundly knuckleheaded. full review

View more The Butterfly Effect reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • bleedirony
    August 14, 2009
    I find it sad that people believe this pile of shit was.

    I enjoy good movies, this isn't one at all.

    Engrossing plot? One of the greatest sci-fi movies of all time?

    I didn't see any of that or thought it was in a list other than golden raspberries list. Sometimes I feel like I swim in a sea of stupid when it comes to so-called movie fans/buffs(A vast see of prozac taking ADD buffoons applauding any film made by Michael Bay or The hip new director of such hits as "Charlies Angels" and "Charlies Angels:Full Throttle" McG(you know you shouldn't be directing movies if your name is McG[roper]) . Rent 8 1/2 and then tell me about yourself, I might find it "Engrossing".
  • kaylalynn96
    July 28, 2009
    Ok, first of all this is a fantastic movie. Sad but great. People should learn to appreciate a good movie with true meaning. I find it sad that they can't enjoy a good movie.
  • kropok21
    April 19, 2009

  • bhoyle18
    August 6, 2008
    THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST FILMS I'VE EVER SEEN. I HONESTLY WAS TAKEN BACK BY ASTON KUTCHER'S PERFORMANCE.AT FIRST I WAS A BIT SKEPTICAL. I DIDN'T THINK KUTCHER COULD DO SUCH A GREAT JOB. HE IS ALWAYS PLAYING STUPID ROLES, BUT THAT ALL CHANGED WHEN I SAW THIS. HE SUCKS YOU RIGHT INTO HIS CHARACTER. THEIRS NOT A DULL MOMENT. A MOST SEE!!
  • lisanr35
    January 14, 2008
    this is the best movie iv ever seen i saw it 2 days in a row then i got all my friends 2 c it please watch it it will make u think twice about situations wich u stumble apon a crossroad and hopefully youll take the right path ashton kutcher maby not the best actor for it dont c number 2 though coz its not as good great great movie mad as
  • nohalobaby
    January 1, 2008
    This is one of the best movies that you'll ever see, sure i don't think what this kid goes through is common but it's possible.I know there is two endings, one is where he ends up having to get kaliegh to move in with her mom by telling her he hates her...the other is where he strangles him self with the embelical cord in his moms stomach.I find the first one more sad.Anyway see this movie it is so good!!!!!!!!!!!! P.s c it twice it'll make more sense!!:)
  • taban4ever
    December 8, 2007
    the movie is a bit disturbing but really great. it makes you think about the consequenses of the choices you make. i cant deside if Ashton was the right choice for this movie but..
  • tereshka07
    November 11, 2007
    I'm fond of this film. It's wonderful and makes other people to think.... The ends.. I saw the both, the first was on the Russian variant, it was happy but melancholy... The second was in English.. oh.. it was so sad((( But it's a great idea to creat 2 ends)
  • johntsavlidis
    October 26, 2007
    Ooooh damn God!! This is the best film ever..! The smartest film I've ever watched..!
  • Aritosgold
    October 14, 2007
    This is good Ashton Kutcher is great;;poor guy^^

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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The Butterfly Effect Trivia


  • What movie shows the consequences of trying to change a moment in your past? (Starring one of the characters from the cast of "that 70's Show")  Answer »
  • In which movie did Ashton Kutcher have the ability to change events in the past?  Answer »
  • In what movie does Evan Treborn alter the lives of brother and sister Kayleigh and Tommy Miller?  Answer »
  • which movie has the 4 main characters evan, tommy, kayleigh and lenny?  Answer »

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