Karma

I saw the movie just because I generally like the subject: Ripple Effect. I mean, it's appealing... the idea of unpredictable chains of events.

But I have to admit this movie was horrible. Not because it is a low budget movie, but because they completely ignored the audience. The main character is so unattaching that you cannot really relate to him (worsened by the really poor acting of Mr. Calland). Furthermore, the story is so abstract it becomes meaningless. Then there is nothing to attach to than vague monologues (not even particularly mentally stimulating) of Forest Whitaker (which, together with Virginia Madsen, may be the only two that do the minimum in this movie to deserve the title of actor).

This movie might be interesting as an exercise for some directing class in the University, but not for release as a commercial title. The movie is so self-centered in its futile exercise of movie-making that it completely obliterates the viewer... and when that happens... there's just no turning back. Fast forward... really fast.

A bit shocked by the very negative review at the beginning. This is a very thoughtful, insightful movie. It feels very Buddhist in the sense that you cannot freeze any event in life and say whether or not it is a good or bad thing. Life exists in flow and bad turns to good and the reverse is also true. Those who are most free in life are those that let the past be what it was and choose to use it as a series of opportunities to learn how to live more deeply. There is a powerful intersection of two lives at the beginning of the film that shatters two lives in that moment. But both people use the event differently and when the opportunity is created to reconnect their lives, how each of them deal with it comes to light. "There is nothing evil but that thinking makes it so" all life is interpretation of events that are just events.

The only reason I picked this up was Forrest Whitaker. I've seen several of his straight-to-DVD items and they're usually interesting to very good.

I don't know if I want to know the background of this, 'cause I probably would get angrier. I would have to assume the director, writer and star (one guy) is Mr. Whittaker's and Ms. Driver's celestial guru, or some nonsense like that.

It doesn't help that the "hero" starts out as an arrogant douche who insists on calling his wife and child "beybee" 60 times in the first 1/2 hour. All that was missing was the gold chain around his neck.

So this guy runs his business into the ground, despite the fact that everyone around him loves him. They really love him. Adore him. It helps that he's also the writer telling his actors to love him. I don't.

Then, at his breaking point, he has to right a wrong he did years ago. That's holding him back, although it's unrelated to the present events.

(I should say it was entertaining to hear Ms. Driver fall into various accents throughout the film.)

Then another 40 minutes of blahblahblah and we're done.

Many other reviewers were basically calling this "intellectual" Sure. They just forgot the word "claptrap".

At least the star/director/writer is consistent. A consistently bad actor, writer, and director.

Not sure what the money was spent on if the budget was actually $12 million. I suspect that this reported budget is actually just stated as such as a play on the reported finance needed in the film for the protagonist's project?

Whilst the story line that an event could have a further impact on your life is interesting unfortunately the film does not really explore this in any meaningful manner with the characters involved, which is a pity as the character development was good, albeit a bit slow. As a result it become a very underwhelming tale.

I have given 4 stars as the music score was good, the acting was reasonable and assuming the budget was lower than reported on IMDb, it is not badly made, just the story line lets it down.

A terribly tedious film equipped with a top line cast that still couldn't save this film.

Terribly unbelievable story line, unconvincing characters and the lead character who is also the film producer and director should serve as warning to avoid.

A film self published as this one is for a good reason and indicator the studios rejected it the way antibodies attack and eliminate microbes from invading the body and the studios did their best to keep this film from impeding cinematic audience.

A tire sales pamphlet is more interesting and a better use of your time.