MovieChat Forums > The Butterfly Effect (2004) Discussion > I like this movie. But it is very naive ...

I like this movie. But it is very naive and made for teenagers


I re-watched it recently. This is so made for teens. Things don't happen like this in real life.
People's personalities don't change THAT drastically by the environment.

Particularly Tommy's storyline was laughable. Now he doesn't grow up to be sadistic killer in one timeline and then be devoted Christian guy in another after saving lady with child. After doing that he would still come back home to paedo father who would still abuse him and his sister.

He was behaving the way he was because he is psychopath. Because that's who he is. Multiple examples how crazy maniacs were raised in good loving families. And people who were abused - grew up normal and didn't kill anyone.

Paedo dad would not suddenly stop because some 7 years old kid talked shit to him and ordered him.

Lenny does not become shy sit at home loser then successful happy guy in another.

And the most surreal was with Mother of Tommy and Kayleigh. Who, at first just basically dumps her 2 kids to live with abusive father. Just because at 7 years old her princess daughter Kayleigh was left with choice who to live with. Which is just stupid. It doesnt happen like that. They would have joint custody at worst.

Then in happy timeline Kayleigh never meets Evan and so decided to live with her mother in her new fancy house happily ever after. And abusive father just disappears from equation. And magically Tommy now lives with mommy too. Like didn't he had to decide where to live too? Or Kayleigh was deciding for both of them?

And keep in mind that mommy was not druggie and anything. Yet she just gives her 2 kids to their abusive father. But in other timeline she happily takes them with her and they all live in nice house.

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and dont get me started about the kid talking to the pedo. cringe overload

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Hard agree. This came out when I was 20. Watching it again years later I couldn't believe how cheesy and OTT it was. It was like an R rated made for tv movie.

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Are we really surprised that an early 2000s Ashton Kutcher flick was for teens?

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But Director made that artsy-fartsy alternate ending like he thought he was making Donnie Darko and whole movie tone was kind of dark with hands blowing up and daddy being killed in front of 7 years old Evan and paedo dad. And don't forget Evan being r*ped in prison first night. Oh and burning alive dog.

That movie was dark. Script of it.

If they would cast different actor then movie would be looking way darker. People just assumed it was cheesy because good Ashton was starring. And everything was so bright and colorful. Now they would put some dark depressing filter on it and it would be horror movie.

It really felt like "an R rated made for tv movie".

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