Safety Not Guaranteed [DVD]

This is a really good movie. There were a few minor things in the movie that I did not like, which I will point out later, but they were drowned in the superior light of the film as a whole, just as the stars drown in the light of the sun. The story is about a magazine writer, and two interns, who decide to write a story about an ad posted in a paper asking for a companion for a time travel expedition. The magazine writers set out to determine whether the person who posted the ad is serious, crazy, or both, although the magazine writer has an ulterior motive, and hopes to use the trip to reconnect with an old flame. It is a very unique idea for a movie and everyone involved (writer, actors, director, etc.) pull it off brilliantly.The acting is great all around, but Mark Duplass has to be singled out as Kenneth. The role of Kenneth, I imagine, would be a difficult one to play (I am not an actor). It is to this film's credit that they have created a real character in Kenneth. He is not there just to be the constant butt of the joke. That means the actor playing him has to walk a very fine line. Even when the movie does use Kenneth for humor (like in his training sessions) they do not go ridiculously over the top with it. We believe that Kenneth believes in what he is doing, and Kenneth is aware that other people might view him as ridiculous, and is very conscious about being made fun of. Mark Duplass pulls all of this complexity off perfectly. It really is an achievement.The movie is quite funny in places (I especially liked the robbery scene), but it also has real heart. It is, on the one hand, about depressed people. Jeff (played by Jake Johnson) is clearly going through some kind of mid-life crisis. He clearly believes that the best days of his life are already over, and tries to live vicariously through Arnau (played by Karan Soni). The Arnau story is one of the minor things I did not like in the movie. Karan Soni does a great job, and I like the character, but it is the one part of the movie that seems sort of cliche to me. The whole story line seemed too American Pie to me. There is not anything necessarily wrong with American Pie, I just do not think that that is what this movie really wants to be. It feels a little out of place. I think more could have been done with Arnau.There is one really good moment between Jeff and Arnau, when Jeff has invited three teenagers (two girls, one guy) back to their motel room, ostensibly for Arnau's benefit, but really to try to relive his early years through Arnau. Arnau is hiding in the lobby, waiting for the three teenagers to leave, and Jeff comes and tries to convince him to return to the room. Arnau says "Do you just want to see me get embarrassed?". That was a good moment, in my opinion, and it would have been the perfect place for Jeff to come to a realization about what he is doing, i.e. trying to turn Arnau into someone he is not so that he can live vicariously through him. But I feel like the movie goes a more traditional route, and Jeff convinces Arnau to return to the room, and he winds up (at least) making out with one of the teenage girls. This story arc just feels a bit out of place to me. In a movie that is very original, it feels like the one part that we have seen many times before. But, like I said, it is a minor point, and the rest of the movie is so good, it does not really matter that much. Arnau is still an excellent addition to the film as a whole.The real heart of the movie, of course, is the relationship between Darius (played by Aubrey Plaza) and Kenneth. Darius is depressed as well, or as her father says "sad". Her mother died some years back and she does not seem to like her job. She clearly feels alienated from the world around her, and has for a long time, as we see in the opening scene, where she is at a high school party, standing motionless, while everyone else is dancing and having a good time around her. I think, and this may just be my interpretation, that she is fed up with the cynicism around her, and is looking for some kind of innocence. Her favorite song is "Over the Rainbow" after all.That is one reason this movie really spoke to me. I have recently become aware of how huge a role cynicism plays in our culture. What I mean is that jaded negativity, or critical detachment, which never commits positively to anything, but instead, stands back, and criticizes those who do commit positively to things. There are people who like things, and then there are the people who sit back and make fun of other people for liking things. I am as guilty of this, at times, as anyone else, but recently I have become aware of how much I think it controls our lives, and how destructive it can be.One of the best scenes of the movie is when Darius and Kenneth are in the woods, and Kenneth is explaining how, when he was a kid, he used to bring his Star Wars figures with him on boy scout camping trips, because he thought they got lonely at home without him, and how some of the other cynical kids made fun of him for it. That is a perfect example of what I am talking about. Kenneth's sensitivity is a good quality, the kind of quality we should be nurturing in children, and yet children seem to have an almost instinctive determination to squash that kind of thing (and it is not just children). I do not understand that. That is one of the mysteries of human life to me, that we are often taught to be ashamed of our best qualities, and it is a question that this movie explores in detail. In a way the whole movie is about that kind of cynicism, since Kenneth is committed to something that he truly believes in (time travel) and the magazine writers are essentially there to make fun of him for believing in it. I think Darius recognizes in Kenneth someone who is free from the cynicism of the society around her. I think we all want that, because I think we are suffocating under this cynicism, which is why I think the themes of this film are so universal, and seem to speak to so many people. It is exhausting to be so jaded all the time.There is another brilliant part in the movie. It comes at the very end. I do not think I will be giving anything important away by describing it, but just in case, I will give my SPOILER ALERT. Kenneth has Darius record him talking to a camera about their planned trip through time. At the end of the movie some excerpts from those tapes are played, and Kenneth gives a brilliant little speech about the relative pros and cons of the single life versus committed relationships (he is actually talking about why he chose to have a partner on his time travel trip but it works perfectly as a metaphor). I have decided to quote the speech in full since I think it is a good speech. Kenneth says: "To go it alone, or to go with a partner. When you choose a partner you have to have compromises, sacrifices, but its the price you pay. Do I want to follow my every whim and desire as I make my way through time and space? Absolutely. But at the end of the day, do I need someone when I am doubting myself, and I'm insecure, and my heart's failing me? Do I need someone, who when the heat gets hot, has my back?" Then Darius asks, "So, do you?" And Kenneth replies, "I do". Kenneth is talking about his trip back in time, but it would be hard to imagine a better synopsis of the pros and cons of relationships (and is it a coincidence that the last line of the movie is "I do"?). This is really good writing, in my opinion. The kind of writing we rarely see in movies.Now I really need to give my SPOILER ALERT since I am about to give away the ending. In the end it turns out the time machine is real. I read some reviews that claim the ending was ambiguous. To me the ending does not seem all that ambiguous. The time machine disappears into thin air, and I am not sure how else to explain that, other than to assume that they really did travel back in time. At first, I did not like that the time machine turned out to be real. I wanted it to be more ambiguous than it was, but as I reflected on it, I changed my mind, precisely because of the cynicism theme. I looked up cynicism on Wikipedia and this is the definition Wikipedia gave "a general lack of faith or hope in the human race or in individuals with desires hopes, opinions, or personal tastes that a cynic perceives as unrealistic or inappropriate, therefore deserving of ridicule or admonishment." I think it is important, therefore, that the cynic turn out to be wrong at the end of this movie, and that means that the time machine has to be real. The believer has to turn out to be right. Ultimately, if it turned out that Kenneth was just crazy, then the message of the movie would have been very different. I think I disliked the ending at first because actual time travel feels somewhat out of place in a realistic movie like this, but I think it serves an artistic purpose. It sends the message that the world belongs to the innocent, the sensitive, and the sincere, and not to the cynic.

My heart is still beating like crazy when I think about the ending. I just couldn't stop playing this bluray last night while the ending credit was rolling.YES, SAFETY WAS NOT QUARANTEED and you need some kind of pills to come yourself down to prepare for the sumptuous ending.There are a lot of timemachine movies out there and honestly hundreds of them are more dazzling Sci-Fi effects and billions of budgets and star power involved, they could be more enjoyable, but if you watch this movie with a huge doubt the fact that there is not a single well known actor or this is not a huge budget film or even this was not a big boxoffice hit back then.But oh man if you just go to the end of this movie, you will never in your life forget this movie till you die. I was almost jump to the ceiling of my house and made a hole with my fist punching it with joy and stimulation.Instead of telling you the details of the story, let me tell you how many timemachine movies out there first.Of course first in line is1. Back to the Future 1-3. I still remember seeing the part one from the television at night on the holiday some holiday and I couldn't sleep that night. I just couldn't. How could Robert make a movie like that made me so excite? He was playing with the tool so well that I was his pray the whole time.I will never forget Michael J. Fox and of course the most quircky doctor Dr. Emmett Brown the Christopher Lloyd. I even searched his name to see his other movies like Roger Rabbit.2. Terminator 1- beyond. We all know this series. Although only part 1 and 2 were that good. We still think that the cyborgs are truely scary and the love stroy between Michael Biehn and Linda Halmilton is another side story which is another gift. And without Arnold this movie is nothing.3. The Time Traveller's Wife. Yes I know this movie is not that superior comparing to the fact that is was based on the best seller and the director is Robert Schwentke who started artistic films like TATTOO! , Eierdiebe. We expected something more. But then again I thought that this was the most romantic timemachine movie ever. Becaue there was the most beautiful actress Rachel McAdams and another soft and tender guy Eric Bana every artistic director wants <Think about HANNAH-Joe Wright>.4. The Time Machine (2002) Simon Wells is the director who made mostly animations like AN AMERICAN TALE, THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, MARS NEEDS MOM TOO. This movie is based on H.G. Wells' novel and they made it pretty impressively original and pretty scary way.5.Donnie Darko. This is an instant cult film. Some say the story is kind of unkind but I wouldn't say it's something like surrealistic or experimental film like unkind. It's just strange. But most of those who sees movie like more then 10 a month will die to own this on dvd. Rabbit man with one eye appears and keep telling the troubled teen what to do. Following that bunny guy he is more in trouble. So what's it got to do with the timemachine?Because we all know that the plane part was crashed inside the house of the antagonist and probably he is dead already.6.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban We all know this movie. It's just great. Alfonso Cuarón is the director from Mexico that can be trusted from his movies like GRAVITY, CHILDREN OF MEN, and provocative Y tu mamá también and cute A Little Princess. This was not the best hit film of the series but if you see the movie you will see that it's a precious piece because it has time travel and all.7.Time Bandits THE Terry Gilliam is the name you should remember. The great maestro director who has no luck so far who created films like BRAZIL, 12 Monkeys, THE FISHER KING, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus , Monty Python and the Holy Grail , The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and recently The Zero Theorem. This is more for kids but if you see the dark scene with the bunch of cube like figure hang on the rope that was kind of artisic to look at. It was 4 dimentional and quite original too look at. His way of framing is always indeed original.Look at BRAZIL his legendary film when the angel, the antagonist's dream woman is flying and lots and lots of dream city is crashing down scene. It was just work of art and at the same time great mis-en-scene.8.Napoleon Dynamite. A most quircky timemachine film of alll time. The director is well known for one more film Nacho Libre a comedy.Now you have more idea. This is a teen flick and is so quircky that it's not for everyone. But some calls it a cult film.9.Primer You know the budget of this film and you will freak out. $7,000 (estimated) is the word. Really? Yes. I mean really? YES!! But it's a Sci-Fi film. YES! But it has science fiction touch? YES! Is it wacthable? YES the hell yes!!!He made another great film called Upstream Color (2013) this time the budget was $50,000 (estimated) Are you for real?10. Bill and Tedd's Excellent Adventure another teen 80's flick. You will enjoy or else you are not human although it's quircky and two of the main actors are childish.11. Hot Tub Time Machine comic and pretty original. I have no idea why the budget of this film was $36,000,000 (estimated) though. The $36,000,000 (estimated) final gross was. It's fun to watch. It will shine your evening for sure. No more comment about it.BUT you know what?All of these lists cannot beat the one movie which is SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED.Because the safety is not guaranteed because of the ending.

Inspired by an actual newspaper classified advert and with a massive nod to HG Wells’ The Time Machine, this delightfully whimsical low-key kind-hearted comedy has a beguiling charm barely covering a touching underlying poignancy. Set in contemporary times we find ourselves accompanying a cynical thirtysomething Seattle magazine reporter and two interns as they arrive in a small seaside resort searching for the person who placed an advert in their magazine inviting the right applicant to accompany him on a trip to the past, a journey that he had only completed once before. The beauty of this movie is that we are never quite sure where the narrative is leading since grocery clerk and time-traveler Kenneth (similar to Kevin Spacey’s ‘prot’ in the 2001 film K-PAX) is unnervingly convincing, so much so that one of the interns agrees to accompany him back to the year 2001. Mark Duplass’ sublime performance as the eccentric and paranoid Kenneth (who are those Men-in-Black types?) is matched by that of Aubrey Plaza as the engaging yet vulnerable intern who has her own reasons for returning to that year. There are some marvelous scenes such as the pair stealing equipment from a laboratory in order to complete the construction of the Heath Robinson time machine, intern Karan Soni’s observations regarding Star Wars Stormtroopers, and Jake Johnson’s deceptively subtle performance as the blunt journalist coping with a journey into his own past. For me, the ending is completely unexpected and totally satisfying. A gem of a movie.

I've seen this a couple of times, and purchased it because it holds up so well to repeat viewings.It's humorous and poignant and quirky, and very underrated.If that's the type of movie you like then I'd highly recommend this little gem.

Go in to this film with modest expectations and it'll be a pleasant surprise. As slightly quirky (possible) time travel stories go, it's not hugely original but it's well done and has a gentle charm of its own thanks to a large part of the plot being about doubt over whether time travel is really taking place. Just don't expect a science-fiction movie: this is more an offbeat character comedy that has a bit of sci-fi in the background.

Really quaint and sweet and enjoyable. Two misfits find each other to go on an improbable journey.Well written, acted, directed and produced.Characters are really vivid and contrasting.Very well done and tight story.

Well I loved that. I know many people aren't going to like it. It was so off kilter. One of the actors is in New Girl (which is a collection of narcissistic creeps) in that you are supposed to like him, in this he is just a flawed creep and that works. The two leads work well, the subplots head more into cliche. I like the fact that films like this are made.