The Butterfly Effect

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The Butterfly Effect

R

Released Jan 23, 2004

1h 53m

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

34%

Tomatometer

169 Reviews

81%

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250,000+ Ratings

College student Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) is afflicted with headaches so painful that he frequently blacks out. While unconscious, Evan is able to travel back in time to difficult moments in his childhood. He can also alter the past for friends, like Kayleigh (Amy Smart), who was molested by her father (Eric Stoltz). But changing the past can drastically alter the present, and Evan finds himself in nightmarish alternate realities, including one where he's locked away in prison.

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Critics Consensus

The premise is intriguing, but it's placed in the service of an overwrought and tasteless thriller.

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Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Ouch. Ouch. Ouch. So very bad.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 28, 2010

Full Review

Jonathan Crocker

BBC.com

Lobotomised entertainment that's dark, violent, and hilariously dumb.

Rated: 2/5

Apr 13, 2004

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Nothing can save this repetitive bore. Dude, where's your memory?

Rated: 1/4

Jan 29, 2004

Full Review

Luke Buckmaster

Flicks (AU, NZ, UK)

This film is so gut-wrenchingly dark and twisted I’d also call it a horror movie, with virtually no respite once its core premise swings into gear.

May 21, 2024

Full Review

James Croot

The Post NZ

Wildly uneven and not exactly high-quality entertainment, The Butterfly Effect has, nonetheless, weirdly turned out to be strangely memorable, especially for certain generation of moviegoers.

Rated: 3/5

Jan 12, 2022

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C.H. Newell

Father Son Holy Gore

The Butterfly Effect looks at the power of memory, the repercussions of events from our past that bleed into the present.

Rated: 3.5/5

May 5, 2019

Full Review

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Michael G

Critics get off on being controversial but honestly just read half their reviews and you can see where they like on the IQ charts 😂 This movie is a staple in its years and it is definitely a classic I have only heard good things about it from countless people. It surrounds the main character having memory deficits that present from blackouts. The character grows up around damaging conditions to anyone in their early to adolescent development years and the audience sees the impact and direction it leads characters down in their lifes. To help with his memory the main uses a tracking method in attempt to fix the issue and finds a power in remembering that leads the movie through the importance of every decision and how it may impact our life trajectory. It is one of a kind in this area of psychological thrillers but leans towards the psychological portion. It is very interesting to think about and makes you think how we as humans are imperfect and sometimes dwell on our past mistakes and forget to capitilize in the present. Do things really happen for a reason in our lives and can you guarantee correcting a mistake will lead you to a better future?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/07/25

Full Review

Nathan A.

This movie doesn’t get the love it deserves

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/26/25

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Julio P

The critics hardly ever have taste. They'll sit there and tell you that movies like "There Will Be Blood" or "Crimes of the Future" or any boring narrative less movie by Wes Anderson is great cinema. This is a classic and enjoyable. Ashton did great too

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/28/25

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Nhu T

This actually a really good movie.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/22/25

Full Review

Joe M

The Butterfly Effect has an interesting premise, but it is wasted on a drawn out thriller/drama, and over the course of the first hour only one actual use of the premises is present. The movie is still well acted, with good direction and some interesting concepts, but the film overall relies on a premise and reputation far more than actual quality of its use. As well as this, it relies on trauma and edge. I doubt the creators had any ill intent, but it's use of shock is boring.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/05/25

Full Review

RobO B

The Butterfly Effect looks at the power of memory, the repercussions of events from our past that bleed into the present.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

Full Review

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Eric Bress

Director

J. Mackye Gruber

Director

Ashton Kutcher

Evan Treborn

Amy Smart

Kayleigh Miller

Eric Stoltz

George Miller

William Lee Scott

Tommy Miller

The Machinist

77%

83%

The Machinist

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Stay

26%

69%

Stay

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TRAILER

for Stay

Trauma

25%

25%

Trauma

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Hide and Seek

12%

50%

Hide and Seek

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TRAILER

for Hide and Seek

The I Inside

43%

43%

The I Inside

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The Butterfly Effect: Trailer 1

2:25

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Synopsis

College student Evan Treborn (Ashton Kutcher) is afflicted with headaches so painful that he frequently blacks out. While unconscious, Evan is able to travel back in time to difficult moments in his childhood. He can also alter the past for friends, like Kayleigh (Amy Smart), who was molested by her father (Eric Stoltz). But changing the past can drastically alter the present, and Evan finds himself in nightmarish alternate realities, including one where he's locked away in prison.

Director: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber
Producer: Chris Bender, A.J. Dix, J.C. Spink, Anthony Rhulen
Screenwriter: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber
Distributor: New Line Cinema
Production Co: Blackout Entertainment, Benderspink, Katalyst Films, Film Engine
Rating: R (Language|Brief Drug Use|Sexual Content|Violence)
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jan 23, 2004, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 1, 2008
Box Office (Gross USA): $57.7M
Runtime: 1h 53m
Sound Mix: Surround, DTS, Dolby SRD, SDDS
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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