The Butterfly Effect (2004)

Directors:

Eric Bress
J. Mackye Gruber

Writers (WGA):

J. Mackye Gruber (written by) &
Eric Bress (written by)

Release Date:

23 January 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Verändere die Zukunft, durch die Vergangenheit (Change the future, through the past.)

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Alternative Reality | Unrequited Love | Accidental Killing | Dog | Destiny

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Ashton Kutcher	...	Evan
Melora Walters	...	Andrea
Amy Smart	...	Kayleigh
Elden Henson	...	Lenny
William Lee Scott	...	Tommy
John Patrick Amedori	...	Evan at 13
Irene Gorovaia	...	Kayleigh at 13
Kevin Schmidt	...	Lenny at 13 (as Kevin G. Schmidt)
Jesse James	...	Tommy at 13
Logan Lerman	...	Evan at 7
Sarah Widdows	...	Kayleigh at 7
Jake Kaese	...	Lenny at 7
Cameron Bright	...	Tommy at 7
Eric Stoltz	...	Mr. Miller
Callum Keith Rennie	...	Jason

MPAA:

Rated R for violence, sexual content, language and brief drug use. (also director's cut)

Runtime:

113 min | 120 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Iceland:16 | South Korea:18 | Brazil:14 | Malaysia:U (cut version) | USA:R (No. 39664) | Malaysia:18SG | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | France:-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM14 | Japan:PG-12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:R-13 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:NC-16 (original rating) | Singapore:PG (edited for re-rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Canada:14A (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

BenderSpink

Trivia:

Elden Henson shot all of the later "normal" scenes with his character first because he had to gain around twenty pounds in one month for the later timelines in which his character is crazy. He was to look bigger as crazy Lenny and thinner as normal Lenny. To the filmmaker's amazement he accomplished this.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Evan is in his dorm and the room is backwards, we see Evan's profile, but for a second, Evan turns around showing that the left side of his nose is about twice as big as it should be because of the prosthetic tube used to achieve the affect of a dripping nosebleed.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[reading aloud as he writes a note]
Evan: 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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Butterfly Effect 2 (2006)

Soundtrack:

My Elastic Eye

See it more than once!

The film has never been showed in Denmark, (where I come from) so the press has never reviewed it. It took me 2 times to get the point but when I realized every part of the film, I felt a huge rush! I'm sure when I see it the 3rd time it will be an even bigger experience to me. Every part of the film plays an important role to the main thread. Every details have a role! The film is like reading a poem from the 18th century, where every sentence means something. The director is a pure genius! Those who've criticized the film, should really see it again, because you'll then notice all the details which makes this film excellent! Without a doubt one of the best films I've seen!