The Butterfly Effect (2004)

January 17, 2004 (CA) • Science Fiction, Thriller • 113m

Overview

A young man struggles to access sublimated childhood memories. He finds a technique that allows him to travel back into the past, to occupy his childhood body and change history. However, he soon finds that every change he makes has unexpected consequences.

Directors

Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber

Writers

J. Mackye Gruber, Eric Bress

Top Billed

Ashton Kutcher

Keywords

prison mind control child abuse amnesia sacrifice chaos theory blackout trauma diary time travel flashback bully love memory loss psychiatrist therapy childhood

Where to watch

Free / Included

Rent

Buy

Top Billed Cast

Ashton Kutcher

Evan Treborn

Amy Smart

Kayleigh Miller

Melora Walters

Andrea Treborn

Elden Henson

Lenny Kagan

William Lee Scott

Tommy Miller

Eric Stoltz

George Miller

Ethan Suplee

Thumper

Logan Lerman

Evan Treborn age 7

John Patrick Amedori

Evan Treborn age 13

Irina Gorovaia

Kayleigh age 13

Kevin G. Schmidt

Lenny age 13

Jesse James

Tommy age 13

Nathaniel DeVeaux

Dr. Redfield

Kevin Durand

Carlos

Callum Keith Rennie

Jason Treborn

Cameron Bright

Tommy age 7

Lorena Gale

Mrs. Boswell

Kendall Cross

Mrs. Kagan

John Tierney

Priest

Ted Friend

Anchor

John B. Lowe

Professor Carter

Camille Sullivan

Cricket

Tara Wilson

Heidi

Jesse Hutch

Spencer

Bill Croft

Boss

Kevan Ohtsji

Anesthesiologist

Daniel Spink

Senior Brother

Grant Thompson

Hunter

Melanie Hall

Gesela

Sam Easton

Frat Boy Pledge

Jake Kaese

Lenny at 7

Sarah Widdows

Kayleigh at 7

Amy Esterle

Gothic Co-Ed

Jacqueline Stewart

Gwen

Glenn Richards

Pinching Customer

Sadie Lawrence

Mrs. Halpern

Sam Easton

Theta Chi Pledge

Douglas Arthurs

Karl

Paul Lazenby

Rick

June B. Wilde

Waitress

Kimani Ray Smith

Orderly

Trevor Jones

Sunnyvale Guard

Colby Chartrand

Teen Punk

Shelly Schiavoni

Mrs. Miller

Brandy Kopp

Kristen

Chapelle Jaffe

Madame Helga

Scott Swanson

Obstetrician

David Cook

Moviegoer

Magda Apanowicz

Teen Punk Girl

Garry Little

Wedding Priest

David Dasilma

Theta Chi Pledge #2 (uncredited)

Stan Edmonds

Crying Mental Patient (uncredited)

Cameron K. Smith

Theater Patron (uncredited)

J. Jackson Kocela

Evan at 3

Andrew Olcott

Andrea's New Husband

Crew

Eric Bress

Director

J. Mackye Gruber

Screenplay

Chris Bender

Producer

A.J. Dix

Producer

J.C. Spink

Producer

Anthony Rhulen

Producer

Michael Suby

Original Music Composer

Matthew F. Leonetti

Director of Photography

Peter Amundson

Editor

Douglas Higgins

Production Design

J. Mackye Gruber

Director

Eric Bress

Screenplay

Cale Boyter

Executive Producer

Richard Brener

Executive Producer

Toby Emmerich

Executive Producer

Jason Goldberg

Executive Producer

David Krintzman

Executive Producer

Ashton Kutcher

Executive Producer

William Shively

Executive Producer

Carmen Cuba

Casting

Carla Hetland

Costume Design

Suzi Stingl

Stunt Double

Shannon Grover

Art Direction

Jeremy Stanbridge

Art Direction

Sam Higgins

Set Decoration

Tonya Soules

Set Decoration Buyer

Peter Grace

Construction Coordinator

Heike Brandstatter

Casting

Coreen Mayrs

Casting

Stacey Butterworth

Wigmaker

Toby Lindala

Makeup Effects

Brendan Ferguson

Production Manager

Kerri Elliott

Art Department Coordinator

John Beatty

Construction Foreman

Dena Skalin

Scenic Artist

Garth Elliott

Greensman

Geoffrey G. Rubay

Sound Designer

Lon Bender

Sound Designer

Peter Zinda

Sound Designer

Christopher Assells

Sound Effects Editor

Karen Vassar Triest

Sound Effects Editor

Mathew Waters

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

John Ross

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Trevor Ward

Dolby Consultant

Corbin Fox

Special Effects Coordinator

Christopher Elke

Visual Effects Producer

Lorraine Rozon

Visual Effects Producer

Sherri Potter

Visual Effects Producer

Ralph Maiers

Visual Effects Supervisor

James Bamford

Stunt Coordinator

Steven A. Adelson

Camera Operator

John Clothier

Camera Operator

Shane Harvey

Still Photographer

Glenn Parker

Still Photographer

Trig Singer

Camera Operator

Vance Burberry

Additional Photography

Brian Richards

Music Editor

Rod Patten

Transportation Coordinator

Betty Bennett

Script Supervisor

Susan Lambie

Script Supervisor

Louisa Gradnitzer

Location Manager

Gloria Davies

Unit Publicist

Andrei Andrianko

Art Department Assistant

Alan Bartolic

Location Scout

Dan Petrescu

Painter

Rena Campbell

Assistant Costume Designer

Angelina P. Cameron

Key Hair Stylist

Jeannie Chow

Hairstylist

Nils Blomberg

Carpenter

Erik Lydestad

Chef

Dave Ash

Driver

Garette Ratliff Henson

Post Production Assistant

Claire O'Brien

Post Production Supervisor

Carl Gruell

Production Office Assistant

Tracey Motherwell

Security

Tammy Baer

Stand In

Laura Lee Connery

Stunts

Jill Allanson

Telecine Colorist

Lee Tucker

Technical Supervisor

Steve Ellis

Transportation Captain

J. Daniel Dusek

Unit Production Manager

Paul Bougie

Best Boy Electric

Murray Chysyk

Electrician

Peter G. Capadouca

Gaffer

Tim Vedan

Rigging Gaffer

Johnny Fountain

Associate Producer

Lisa Richardson

Co-Producer

Doreen Ferreira

Casting Associate

Richard Stirling

Executive In Charge Of Production

Beverly Wiens

Production Accountant

Eva Morgan

Production Coordinator

Robert Hanchar

Boom Operator

Kevin J. Edelman

Music Supervisor

Michael Farrow

Scoring Mixer

John Bires

Sound Engineer

Daryl Powell

Sound Mixer

Kathryn Bolt

Digital Compositors

Tom Bristow

I/O Supervisor

Chad Malbon

Visual Effects Coordinator

Christopher Edwards

Manager of Operations

Gillian Goodman

Assistant Property Master

Barry W. Brolly

Set Dresser

John L. Brown

Dolly Grip

Michael McLellan

Key Grip

Dean Reca

Grip

Stan Edmonds

Key Makeup Artist

Amanda Moses

In Memory Of

Peter D. Marshall

First Assistant Director

Cindy Smith

Second Assistant Director

Lori K. Peterson

Third Assistant Director

Caitlin McKenna

ADR Voice Casting

Yale Kussin

Assistant Production Coordinator

Zack Davis

ADR Supervisor

John Cannon

Assistant Sound Editor

Daniel Brown

Musician

Marny Eng

Stunt Double

Derek Marcil

Sound Re-Recording Mixer

Graham Coutts

Property Master

Carey Milbradt

Foley Mixer

Tami Treadwell

ADR Recordist

Daryl Lathrop

ADR Recordist

Claudia Carle

ADR Recordist

Weldon Brown

ADR Mixer

Robert Deschaine

ADR Mixer

Lon Bender

Sound Supervisor

Geoffrey G. Rubay

Sound Supervisor

Tone Rorvik

Assistant Makeup Artist

Susan O'Hara

Costume Set Supervisor

Cali Newcomen

Costumer

Tess Brummitt

Truck Costumer

Dean Rossmo

Construction Buyer

Robert Pratt

Storyboard Artist

Jannene Elam

Sound Assistant

Murray Campbell

Special Effects Best Boy

Nick Allen

Stunt Double

Diane Broussalian

Additional Second Assistant Camera

Stanka Banasova

Camera Trainee

Joseph Carson

Assistant Editor

Steven J. Scott

Digital Color Timer

Adrian Colbert

Digital Colorist

Amy Tompkins

Digital Intermediate Editor

Terra Bliss

Digital Intermediate Producer

Ken Brooker

Assistant Location Manager

Leon Thomas Braun

Location Production Assistant

Charles Fernandez

Conductor

Andrew Gowan

Music Coordinator

Carol Urquhart

Assistant Accountant

Cathryn Eilertson

Assistant Chef

Kelly Alfaro

Catering

Sandra-Ken Freeman

Extras Casting

Rod Feldmeier

Generator Operator

Jim Barber

Key Rigging Grip

Wilf Guttmann

Rigging Grip

Darren Robertson

Playback Coordinator

Mike Doiron

Production Assistant

Regan Steele

Set Dresser

Nina Polkinghorne

Assistant Property Master

Shauna Hanna

Best Boy Grip

Colleen Newberry

Best Boy Grip

Don Webber

Camera Trainee

Gregory Middleton

Second Unit Director of Photography

Darin Wong

Dolly Grip

Pepe Hubert

Dolly Grip

Cam North

First Assistant "A" Camera

Nick Watson

First Assistant "B" Camera

Taylor Matheson

First Assistant "B" Camera

Mike Stroman

Generator Operator

Randal W. Morton

Second Assistant "A" Camera

Chris Rothfelder

Second Assistant "B" Camera

Daniel Volonino

Second Assistant "B" Camera

Jana Lynn Gold

Additional Editor

Caroline Hardon

Assistant Editor

Danya Joseph

Assistant Editor

Kirk Moses

Assistant Editor

Christy Richmond

Assistant Editor

Hilda Saffari

Digital Intermediate

Shelley Kreutz

Production Assistant

Grant Lutz

Production Assistant

Chris McFarlane

Production Assistant

Elysia Bliss Pyne

Production Assistant

Shannon Hudgens

Production Assistant

Julie Elizabeth Knell

Production Assistant

James Cowan

Compositor

Collection

The Butterfly Effect Collection

The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect 2

The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations

Reviews

John Chard

⭐ 8/10

April 26, 2020

You can't change who people are without destroying who they were.

The Butterfly Effect - Directors Cut

The Butterfly Effect is directed by Eric Bress and Bress co-writes the screenplay with J. Mackye Gruber. It stars Ashton Kutcher, Melora Walters, Amy Smart, Elden Henson, William Lee Scott, Eric Stoltz and Ethan Suplee. Music is by Michael Suby and cinematography by Matthew F. Leonetti.

The title refers to the butterfly effect, the chaos theory of a popular hypothetical situation that illustrates how small initial differences may lead to large unforeseen consequences over time. The plot pitches Kutcher as Evan Treborn who suffers blackouts during critical mments in his life. When older he finds that through reading the journals he has written since a child, that he can go back in time to the significant events and change what happens. Unfortunately each time he does it comes at a great cost...

It was mercilessly kicked by the pro critics upon release, not helped by coming at a time when Kucher was something of a kicking post to critics. To compound the misery for the makers, they released a theatrical cut that featured a quite apalling ending. Inspite of these trevails at the time of release, the pic made a pot load of cash at the box office. Once the Directors Cut surfaced, with a key scene added to cement the different - quality - ending, time has seen the stock of the pic rise considerably. So much so that it currently sits at a 7.6 rating on IMDb and a 75% rating on TMDB, wile there are some critics who have come out and admitted they were too quick to judge the first release back in 2004.

What we have is a time travelling corkscrew narrative that is immensely sombre in telling how ones actions can have far-reaching consequences. It's a compelling and often thrilling picture, one that can spark hearty debate about the thematics at work - notably we the audience being forced to contemplate our own actions in life. The pic demands the utmost attention, switching off for a few minutes is a definite no no. Some scenes linger long in the memory as we trawl through the evil that kids and men do, right up to the unforgettable finale.

There's plot and logic holes, that are small irritants, and even though this definitely could have been better cast with more senior actors, none of the youthful cast members hurt the picture. It packs a punch, that is on proviso you only see the directors cut. 7.5/10

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CinemaSerf

⭐ 7/10

August 12, 2024

"Evan" (Ashton Kutcher) has had a troubled existence thus far in his young life, and is prone to blackouts. These seem to take chunks of his day away from him as he comes back to a consciousness unaware of what has just taken place, or even where he is! He tries to fill in the gaps by writing in his journal what could have happened then miraculously finds himself back at that exact time and place. It's almost as if these memory lapses were just m… read the rest.

AlfaVitaY2K

⭐ 10/10

May 29, 2026

A brutal, high concept psychological Sci-Fi thriller that’s genuinely genius. Ashton Kutcher delivers his best dramatic performance as Evan Treborn, a man who discovers he can rewrite his traumatic past through his diary, only to cause cascading disasters in the present. Smart script, tight direction by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber, and a relentless downward spiral that keeps you hooked.

The original theatrical ending is perfect. Bleak, log… read the rest.