The Butterfly Effect (2004)

There is something to be said for being in the right frame of mind to be receptive to certain films (also known as staying awake).  I supposedly viewed this movie some six months ago, but when I saw the director's cut yesterday, only a few small scenes looked familiar and I was knocked out by how involving the story was.  I should also mention that I had the chance of seeing a preview of this movie at FrightFest back in 2004, but forewent the opportunity as I was put off by the continuous gossip concerning its star, Ashton Kutcher, and his involvement with a certain older actress.  In fact he was very very good in his role, playing a college-age student who has suffered blackouts throughout his youth and who finds a way to enter his past life at traumatic times through the notebooks he has religiously kept.  Not only can he enter the past with the foresight that age has brought, but by so doing he can change the future.  The only trouble is that every change he creates seems to be for the worse, with both he and his various co-actors caught in unacceptable scenarios.  Eventually he finds the right path for ensuring a happy future for the main players -- a path that makes real sense, but which comes as a surprise.  While the logic of all of the role-shifting is not quite as watertight as it might be, the film remains an intriguing bit of science-fiction.