'Dude, where's my time machine?'

The Butterfly Effect is a good movie. Try as I might to be critical and solely mock the merits, or lack thereof, of Ashton Kutcher's performance, I must say … well done. Backed by a strong supporting cast including Amy Smart, Melora Walters and that fat kid from "Boy Meets World" i.e. Ethan Suplee, the story unfolds and positions Evan Treborn (Kutcher) with the ability to manipulate the past and subsequently change the present. \nBeyond the unpredictably shocking and seat-stirring moments within this flick (of which there are many), lies a surprisingly adept leading turn by Kutcher. As you try to push aside such "groundbreaking" works as Dude Where's My Car? and the other teenie-bopper productions he's been involved with, it takes awhile to figure out that he's not punk'n you with this dramatic role reversal.\nKutcher, as the media's current whipping boy, warrants review far more than the entertaining movie in which he stars. He must be applauded for the acceptance of a meaty, dramatic role, as opposed to sticking with his repertoire of loose and shallow characters. There is still the intermittent tendency to flash his trademark silliness, but luckily, it's regimented on a need-be basis. As you wait for him to slip into his funnyman, can't-really-act, only-for-show persona, the film quakes and forces viewers toward the next jolting tragedy inflicted upon Kutcher's character.\nWhat truly makes up the matter of this film is the conceptual undertones and arrangement of time displaced throughout -- this allows the filmmakers to showcase just enough Kutcher without overdoing it. By way of continuous flashback and the incorporation of a solid supporting cast, you almost lose sight of the next "waiting for Kelso" moment. Instead, you yearn for the patchwork -- the hopeful fulfillment of a story complete.\nSo does this movie have a point? It does. This is a showcase for a comedic actor of questionable talent to prove both to himself and the moviegoing public that he can not only tackle, but succeed within, the dramatic realm. Kutcher proves to be a surprisingly viable actor. I suggest a ticket to this performance in the theater, not only to bankroll the already hefty pockets of the industry, but also to experience the unpredictable toils of this time-twisting tale. It will stir and unsettle you, leaving your Jujubees and tub of popcorn at unrest, while also offering the first, of hopefully many, dramatic roles for this young actor.