5.4 The Butterfly Effect (2004) "The Bleakest Granola Bar"

This week we’re babbling about The Butterfly Effect (2004) starring Ashton Kutcher as a very, very troubled individual, with more suppressed trauma than you can shake a large stick at, but who unlocks the ultimate party trick: time travel via wibbly-wobbly journal reading.

Instead of using this power to, say, invest wisely in the stock market or prevent global disasters, Evan decides to fix his own messy past, one ridiculously awkward moment at a time.

Although every time he flaps his metaphorical butterfly wings, reality slaps him in his square-jawed fizzog with a new nightmare: Save the girl? Oops! Now she's a troubled waitress on skid row. Prevent a tragedy? Congrats! you're in jail. 

Try it again? Sure! But now you're a double amputee with a bad haircut, surrounded by flaming dogs, exploding babies and a roommate to die for.

Within its first ten minutes the film goes to one of the darkest places in mainstream cinema that made Lars Von Trier leave the press screening, probably. It’s like Groundhog Day, but with 97% more emotional damage and one less marmot.

So, dear babbler, grab your umbilical cord and join us, as we flap our little pretty wings in our latest podcast.

Time Babble Series Five, Episode Four is waiting for you now on your favourite podcast service. If you can’t find it, please write in to the usual address.

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