Chaos Theory

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Emily Mortimer, Stuart Townsend, et al.

Product Description

Frank Allen (Ryan Reynolds), celebrated author of the bestseller The Five Minute Efficiency Trainer, has perfected the art of living via a foolproof system of timetables and index cards. In fact, his daily "to do" lists are legendary. A man known for playing it safe, Frank doesn't believe in spontaneity. Every choice he makes is deliberate - ?designed to contribute to a well-ordered, predictable life. But life, as he soon learns, never adheres to a strict schedule. Frank's wife, Susan (Emily Mortimer), and seven-year-old daughter, Jesse (Matreya Fedor), find his obsession charming in small doses, but as a steady diet it can be very frustrating. One morning, Susan attempts to loosen her husband's scheduling stranglehold by adding ten minutes to his day. But, by setting the clock backward instead of forward, she inadvertently unleashes a series of mishaps that turn his meticulously ordered life upside down. A belligerent ferryman, a ruthless seductress, a reluctant mother-to-be and the secret amor of his best friend, Buddy (Stuart Townsend), combine to send his life into complete chaos. As his life unravels in several directions simultaneously, however, a stunning family revelation forces Frank to look fate squarely in the eye. Shaken to his core, he starts living entirely "in the moment," allowing him to defy the conventions that have heretofore defined him. Those carefully coordinated index cards that had once kept his life in perfect order now become a deck of chance as Frank scribbles spontaneous ideas on random cards, shuffles, chooses and follows the luck of the draw...with unexpected results. Frank is about to discover that not even an efficiency expert armed with timetables and index cards can change the serendipitous nature of family and friendship, love and forgiveness.

• Format: DVD
• Language: English
• UPC: 085391139249
• Release Date: May 1993
• Rating: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned)
• Publisher: Castle Rock
• Director: Marcos Siega
• Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Emily Mortimer, Stuart Townsend, Matreya Fedor, Sarah Chalke, Mike Erwin, Elisabeth Harnois, Chris William Martin, Constance Zimmer, Lisa Calder
• Number of Disks: 1
• Other Video Info: AC-3; Color; Dolby; Dubbed; DVD; Full Screen; NTSC; Subtitled; Widescreen
• Weight: 0.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Not sure whether to like this film or not.

A young man is about to get married to Jesse (Elisabeth Harnois.) He is having second thoughts about taking the plunge. He is cornered by the bride’s father Frank Allen (Ryan Reynolds) on the way to the exit. Here the groom is told in detail and an extensive flashback of how the chaos theory works (or not.) The essence of the story starts with a wife setting a clock off 10 minutes trying to give her a well-organized husband an extra 10 minutes but inadvertently lost 10 minutes and it snowballs into chaos. I will not go through the many details as the surprise twists are what give value to this story. However, the father explains that you cannot plan events, but you can choose to love. With some of the almost slapstick actions and not likely events, I can see how someone would take this as a comedy. At least this has a fresher formula that all those girls meet, the guy misunderstands the guy, later realizes the mistake and they go off happily ever after stories. I would say that it is at least worth watching so that you can make your own decision as to whether this presentation was worth the effort. For me, I'm still not too sure.