The Butterfly Effect

Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stolz, John Patrick Amedori and Jesse James
Directed/written by: Eric Bress & J. Mackye Gruber

Finally an Ashton Kutcher film that doesn't suck! Oh, I'm sorry was that too harsh?

The Butterfly Effect is actually a wonderfully intelligent piece that ties all its fluffy cinematic bows properly, ultimately delivering a memorable film within a handsome little package. That's not to say there aren't some icky parts; like generic sudden scary bits with musical accents designed to make you leap in horror, or the oh-so-clever foreshadowing. But it works and streams along at a steady clip twoards the plot supplying a fun day at the movies.

Story goes… Evan's (John Patrick Amedori) an odd child. He's an apple not far from the tree. And in his case that "tree" is certifiably insane. Ev's not quite mad - yet. But, he does have these peculiar blackouts that are a tad annoying.

Naturally these cronic mental faux pas of alerted-ness happen at key moments in his life, leaving him utterly discombobulated to say the least.

When his childhood pack of semi-hooligans accidentally kills a family during a "harmless" vandalism prank, his world is turned upside down.

We shoot forward into the future with Evan…As an adult (Ashton Kutcher) while still searching for the solution to his rare mental dysfunctions, and still fuzzy about some pretty rough childhood happenings, he stumbles upon a remarkable ability to transport himself, literally, back to specific events in his life; bad events; the ones that changed he and his friends' life paths. Now however instead of blacking out, Ev cannot only see what transpired but actually returns into his younger self with his adult with a knowing mature brain.

How's that for a cool concept.

Evan learns when you change or affect something in the world, the ripple of that action is irrevocable; for good or bad.

This is a helluva piece folks. Give it time and stay alert - the pay offs are there.

Ashton Kutcher finally looses his stoner façade and the man Demi is attracted to shines through. Hey, who knew he could actually act? Me neither. Here he does. And rest assured Ash is still as deliciously edible as a rice krispie treat that's been lightly heated in the microwave to set forth its oozing sweetness, looks-wise.

The rest of the cast (like beauty Amy Smart and this devilishly creepy version of normally sweety Eric Stolz) do a great job as pawns within "Evans" little mental roller coaster of time-travelling cause and affect studies.

Bluntly speaking? This aint the usual Ashton vehicle - but he's still a handsome manlyberry studmuffin (especially in one barely wrapped little scenede boudoir) straight out of the heart's fires. It'll keep his "younger" audience in a state of bliss, while we get a real movie.

Snack recommendation: Lite beer and popcorn.