Chaos Theory is a movie based on an interesting concept, there is no doubt. The father-of-the-bride, Frank Allen, imparts some of his life experiences onto his soon to be son-in-law the day of his daughter’s nuptials. However, these experiences do not shed a complimentary light on the idea of marriage. His wisdom is meant to come across as insightful and encouraging, yet his stories of being unable to control the chaos of life would send most men running.
The Set-up
The film is told in a familiar fashion, through a series of flashbacks. Frank Allen, Ryan Reynolds, is an efficiency expert that is always in control, with every moment of his life planned out. He is married to a wonderful woman, Emily Mortimer, with a beautiful daughter that adores him. His life seems perfect. One day he is late, an unnatural occurrence, and that one moment causes his life to change forever.
Frank gets caught up in a series of events that send him down a dark, spiraling tunnel. His composure is weakened for a moment by alcohol and beautiful women, again proving just a moment has the potential to ruin your life. He ends up in a car with a pregnant woman in labor, which leads to a misunderstanding on the birth certificate, and dealing with a wife that is stubbornly holding to her belief that Frank is the father of this woman’s baby. In one moment, Frank loses everything.
Frank loses his wife, child, and home as he is kicked out and asked to never return. A man with no secrets suddenly has to account for some that aren’t his. But then, just when you think Frank is finding some light, some redemption and forgiveness, his wife drops on him a bombshell of a secret. The hope of the only truly likeable character in this movie being happy again is dashed, and a trip to suicide lane seems like not such a bad idea. In the end, with a family back together that will never be the same, there is still no light in Frank’s eyes.
The Review
Chaos Theory’s goal, teaching us that there is no controlling life in this world so why bother, misses the mark as nothing is redeeming or happy in the movie after the first twenty minutes. The three act structure is there, which is a positive point in the movie. But as the acts move from sad, sadder, and less sad, the movie is a blur of depression where Frank accepts his now screwed up life forever. The character arcs are no more than bumps in a line that explore emotional range, but center around who can be more heartbroken. Reynolds is charming, as always, and gives the audience the only likable character in the movie, but it unfortunately isn’t enough to save the film. There is no theory to how chaotic life can be in Chaos Theory, there is only a path of destroyed lives that the chaos of one moment leaves behind.
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