West Hollywood.
It was 6:30 in the afternoon. Peter Butler had dinner with his girlfriend Peggy after get off work, and the two hurried to the cinema near their apartment.
Although he already had a good personal relationship, Peter Butler still did not know the official content of "The Butterfly Effect". So he got off work on time today, which is rare, and couldn't wait to take a look.
Peter's girlfriend Peggy is a tall and thin white girl with glasses and a gentle appearance.
The two sat down in the theater, and Peggy couldn't help but said: "Peter, it is said that the critics' evaluation of "The Butterfly Effect" was not very good. Do we have to watch this movie?"
Fox had been carefully concealing the results of the test screenings of "The Butterfly Effect" due to poor feedback from critics during the initial test screenings, and did not hold public screenings before the film opened.
Therefore, until yesterday, the reputation of "The Butterfly Effect" was only spread among a small number of people in Hollywood. But now, the first batch of film reviews about "The Butterfly Effect" have been published in the afternoon newspaper, and it is naturally difficult to cover up the film's media response.
As a reporter, Peter Butler naturally knew this earlier, but he still believed in his own judgment more.
Scanning the audience in the hall, which gradually grew as the show time approached, Peter Butler replied: "Peggy, don't you really like "Run Lola Run"? Simon's movie should not disappoint everyone." .”
Peggy is the same age as Peter. She is 31 years old and works as a designer in an advertising company.
Although she admired Simon's previous "Run Lola Run" quite a lot, she has always been a very sensible girl, and she is already past the age of star-chasing. She does not pursue Simon Westeros as much as many young people do.
However, considering the relationship between her boyfriend and the other party, Peggy didn't be too venomous. She just shrugged and said, "Maybe."
After waiting patiently for a few minutes, the lights in the screening room dimmed.
Peter Butler looked around again. The occupancy rate in the screening hall that could accommodate a hundred people had exceeded 70%, which was a very good figure. Obviously, with the popularity of "Run Lola Run", the first weekend box office of "Butterfly Effect" will not be too bad anyway. The key still depends on the subsequent box office trend of the film.
During this period, "Run Lola Run" was an unexpected success, and Simon Westeros naturally became famous. Peter Butler also attracted considerable attention within the Los Angeles Times because of his series of interviews with Simon.
As the largest newspaper in the western United States, the Los Angeles Times Company has a large team of editors and reporters of more than 1,100 people. It is definitely not easy for a young reporter like Peter Butler in his early thirties to attract the attention of the upper class.
Correspondingly, Peter Butler's personal stance was unknowingly leaning towards Simon. Subconsciously, Peter Butler has even decided that as long as the movie is not too terrible to watch, he will definitely put in a few good words for Simon.
On the big screen.
After the usual pre-roll commercial and label opening, the male protagonist Ivan, played by Matt Dillon, cautiously walked through a dark corridor and broke into an office. Then, as security guards and doctors banged on the door violently, Ivan, who was hiding under his desk, quickly wrote a series of last words in his notebook, and then started playing a videotape.
Amidst the violent screen shaking, the camera has returned to Ivan's childhood.
In the screening room, looking at the childhood scenes of the male protagonist that changed to warm colors, Peter Butler was still recalling the opening wedge just now.
Excellent suspense creation. With this alone, Brian De Palma has successfully attracted the audience's curiosity and attention. In the next twenty minutes, various strange behaviors of Ivan's childhood appeared on the big screen one by one, continuing to arouse the curiosity of the audience. This continued until Ivan came of age, and the mysteries began to be revealed one after another.
East Coast.
New Haven, Connecticut.
The time is approaching ten o'clock, and Jennifer Raybould will officially graduate from Yale next month. Jennifer Raybould has been increasingly busy recently, and it was not until eight o'clock in the evening that she took time to watch Simon's new movie with her friend Lisa Collins.
At this time, as people walked out of the theater together, the two girls looked at each other a little bit, and for a while they didn't know how to evaluate the "Butterfly Effect" just now.
Is this a good movie
Compared to "Run Lola Run", which is amazing in plot, shots, soundtrack and other aspects, "The Butterfly Effect" really doesn't have much to comment on except for the idea of repeatedly traveling back to the past.
Is this a bad movie
The plot of the film is very complete, cleverly interspersed and interlocking. Compared with those really bad movies that make it difficult to remember the plot after watching it, many details in this movie are worth recalling.
simply put.
As two senior movie fans who often go to the cinema, it is difficult for Jennifer and Lisa to get anything that can impress them from this movie. And, to be fair, they don't really like the despair expressed in this movie.
perhaps.
This is just a random script written by that guy. His next directorial work is definitely worth looking forward to.
Just as Jennifer was thinking this, a voice that was clearly louder than usual suddenly came from beside her: "This movie is really cool, even more exciting than "Run Lola Run". I think we should take the time to watch it again."
Following the voice, Jennifer turned her head and glanced. Behind her and Lisa were three young boys of seventeen or eighteen years old.
When the three boys saw Jennifer turning her head, their eyes all lit up, and then the other two boys also agreed and accelerated their pace together to catch up with Jennifer and Lisa.
Normally, Jennifer would have been completely dismissive of this clumsy approach. But this time, she took the initiative to look at the boy who just spoke and asked, "Do you really think "The Butterfly Effect" is cooler than "Run Lola Run"?"
"Of course, isn't the idea of going back to the past cool enough by relying on a diary?" The boy gestured without hesitation: "What's more, there is also the butterfly effect. Compared with the details in "Lola Run", it's nothing. Changing your life in an instant, this is the real butterfly effect. Moreover, in the end, he returned to the mother's womb and strangled himself with his own hands. Gee, Simon Westeros is really a genius."
Listening to the boy next to him dancing and gesticulating excitedly, Jennifer felt like something flashed through her mind, but she couldn't catch it. Lisa, who was holding her arm, looked obviously more understanding.
Saying this, he walked out of the theater without realizing it.
When the three boys saw Jennifer and they were about to leave, they caught up with her again. The boy just now took the initiative to invite: "Hey girls, how about we go to a bar together? We know there is a bar nearby that does not check age."
Before Jennifer could answer, Lisa said to the three boys with a bit of teasing: "Forget it, little guys, we have no interest in dating minors."
After saying this with a smile, Lisa threw away the three boys and pulled Jennifer to the parking lot quickly.
After finding their car, the two women got in. After Lisa started the car, Lisa, who was in charge of driving, suddenly stretched out her hand and gently grabbed Jennifer's beautiful golden ponytail. Still smiling, she said, "I'll let you do this all day long." , being regarded as a little girl."
Jennifer shook her hair, reached out and slapped Lisa, and said, "Hurry up and drive, I'm a little sleepy."
Lisa turned the steering wheel and drove the car out of the parking lot. Seeing that Jennifer still looked thoughtful, she said, "You're not thinking about Westeros, are you?"
Jennifer's face suddenly turned slightly red, but she immediately retorted: "That's what you think, you admire him so much."
Lisa was not as shy as Jennifer, and said very straightforwardly: "Such a powerful guy, I just don't know when I will see him again. I don't plan to go to California. Isn't your uncle his personal lawyer? I'll help him then." I’ll send back some signed photos. And if you can snatch Simon Westeros away from Janet Johnston, I’ll fly to Los Angeles myself to throw a celebration party for you.”
Jennifer listened as Lisa's words became more and more outrageous. She blushed and stretched out her hand: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Lisa opened her mouth, and her neat white teeth bit her hand that was trying to cover her mouth, scaring Jennifer away, and then she smiled and said: "I'm just saying what's in your heart, keep up the good work, Jenny.”
"I've decided not to talk to you for the next ten minutes."
Lisa laughed, seeing that Jennifer really ignored her and drove the car indifferently.
After a while, I glanced at my friend in the co-pilot again, and saw that her blushing face was beginning to fade, but there was still some concern on her face, and she suddenly said: "There is no need to worry so much. I think this movie may be just for those people." It’s for the young boys to watch.”
As the film was released on the first day, reviews of "The Butterfly Effect" also appeared on various media platforms on a large scale.
"After "Run Lola Run", Simon Westeros once again used his outstanding imagination to construct a wonderful story for us that explores countless possibilities in life. "The Butterfly Effect" made me realize that the life of each of us, They are all made up of countless bits and pieces in the long river of time. You can't change it, you can't get rid of it, and you can't regret it. Real life is destined to have only one outcome."
This is Peter Butler's film review article published in the Los Angeles Times the next day.
Although during the viewing process, Peter Butler's feelings about the film were similar to those of Jennifer and the two girls far away on the East Coast, he still wrote an article expressing his unabashed approval.
However, apart from Peter Butler, too many film critics in North America are very rude and even openly express their disgust for "The Butterfly Effect".
"No one can save these boring riffs." —Variety
"Matt Dillon, who has performed brilliantly in films such as "River's Edge" and "The Outsider," chose this movie as the biggest mistake of his life." - "Entertainment Weekly"
"With pessimistic themes, confusing narrative, and boring characters, this is really the most boring movie in recent times." - "Movie Salon"
"Simon Westeros may have wanted to express some deeper philosophical thoughts with "The Butterfly Effect," but the result was just a boring film that made no sense at all." - "New York Observer"
“…”
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In this series of negative reviews, New York Times writer Mark Hollington, who originally raised doubts about Simon, appeared again and said unceremoniously that "The Butterfly Effect" is a completely stupid and pretentious movie. An extraordinary mess of a film, I have absolutely no idea what Simon Westeros was trying to say with such a cloying film'.
After all, the success of "Run Lola Run" has too many accidental factors. Therefore, the box office performance of "The Butterfly Effect" is crucial to Simon's subsequent development in Hollywood.
Even on Saturday, facing the overwhelmingly negative reviews of "The Butterfly Effect", Ronald Goldberg couldn't wait to call Simon, hoping to organize a production meeting for "Death is Coming". He wanted to Participate in person.
This is obviously a violation of the agreement signed by both parties.
It's obvious.
If "The Butterfly Effect" ultimately fails at the box office, Simon's three ongoing projects will be severely affected.