Chaos Theory {The Movie for the I don't know, you decide}

So this is the wrapping up review for this issue of Movie Week, as I think that in time I can find enough movies to do another a bit stricter themed week. The last review happened to be the hardest one to choose from as I originally planned to watch and review “My Blueberry Nights”, but then I went through the phase “Gosford Park” and now I return to “Chaos Theory”. Why is that you may ask. Because the movie is weird, is the answer.

Although there is a quite startling similarity between the protagonist in “Chaos Theory” Frank Allen (Ryan Reynolds) and the protagonist from “Stranger than Fiction” Harold Crick. Both are very orderly to extreme paranoia and they follow an iron fisted schedule. Although Harold Crick is stuck in an endless routine and likes to count, we have a Frank Allen obsessed with time and lists. His wife Susan Allen (Emily Mortimer) is very patient with his freakish nature and even jokes about it, saying that he needs a list for his lists.

Of course things go from somewhat OK for Frank to not so much as he misses the ferry for his lecture, which is on time efficiency. Great irony really. Somehow this ends him up with a blond seductress in his apartment and him later on driving late at night, when another blond, giving birth while driving almost runs him over. As these things happen he finds himself in the hospital being mistaken by the father and when the nurse calls to his home about a baby, guess who picks the phone. Susan, yes. No need to mention that she goes ballistic and kicks him out of the house until he proves that he is not the father. So he does so, but in the making of it, he finds out that he is sterile. No big deal you think. Sure, but Frank has a little daughter and so we find out that Susan hasn’t been the role model for a housewife. Tisk, tisk, tisk.

The realization that his beloved daughter is not really his daughter sends Frank off the edge into a strange state, where he decides never to decide anything again and picks randomly between things he always wanted to do on small pieces of paper, whenever he pleases. In the mean time Susan goes through a crisis on her own, when she tells Buddy Endrow (Stuart Townsend) hers and Frank’s best friend that he is the father of her child. Buddy by the way is the epitome of a playboy and a man child. Several days of emotional crisis, one night at the lake and a shot gun resolve all of their problems and Frank comes back a healthier man with a stronger marriage. I personally convinced that the shot gun did it all, but critics think otherwise.

What I liked about the movie is Ryan Reynolds mainly as he is kooky enough to play this kind of role and own it. A new brand of specific charisma is his main trait, which is so distinguishable from all the other comedy actors. This coupled with the unnatural concept of this movie, although not as quite peculiar or weird as in other movies, “Chaos Movie” offers a wide spectrum of emotions ranging from laughter to sadness, excitement, nervousness and even a bit shame, watching Ryan Reynolds doing really uncomfortable things. I personally feel that way, when the protagonists feel at unease. The supporting cast also did their job properly and add to the pleasant experience, although I am not quit familiar with their filmography. I just wished that this movie would be a bit funnier than it was to me. It has some room for improvement, but I think it’s definitely entertaining.

Okay, people, so this is wrap up. Thank you for bearing with me on this one and here is the long awaited trailer: