Safety Not Guaranteed - A Movie Review

If we’re going to time travel, you have to have a reason to go back.

Safety Not Guaranteed traveled into theaters in 2012. A team of journalists is given the assignment to invest in a man’s time travel ad. This experiment gives everyone a chance to be happy about their lives.

I always enjoy a good time travel film. The story of Safety Not Guaranteed was not what I expected. The past can hurt. However, it is essential to learn from the past so you can move on and keep living in the present.

Safety Not Guaranteed is all about character. At first, I had an issue with the characters, specifically Jake Johnson’s character. After some thought, human interactions are what the world is all about. That’s an integral life lesson as everyone is growing up.

Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, and Karan Soni have to learn to work together. As I have learned, sometimes you don’t have the privilege to work with who you want. It’s a test. As Plaza demonstrates, you can’t let anyone beat you to the ground. Learn how to work with people who you wouldn’t normally associate with.

I have only seen Plaza in a few other films. She does a wonderful job connecting to her characters. Although, in my opinion, I feel like she tends to have the same traits in each role. I like the way Darius conveys emotion. Hiding emotions is never good for your mental health.

Mark Duplass studied Kenneth’s wild, eccentric personality very well. Credit goes to Duplass for most of his humorous lines. He and Plaza were the highlights. Their interactions were endearing. The scene where the two connected by talking about their pasts was a well-acted scene. You never know who you may befriend.

Jeff’s subplot raised a lot of questions. I still feel like it was filler. Because of Jeff’s crude behavior, I was not fond of him. Still, there is more to a person depending on how long you want to pursue them. Johnson and Jenica Bergere were excellent in their interactions, exploring the importance of change.

The film includes a couple of surprise appearances. Credits include Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jeff Garlin, Kristen Bell, and an ensemble of characters. It never matters how small your part is. Every cast member created a character and made an impact.

Colin Trevorrow explored how the past makes us vulnerable. He did a nice job with the pacing of the story. It may not be the type of time travel film that you anticipated, but Safety Not Guaranteed keeps you waiting for the conclusion. Cinematography and camera angles were planned out well.

The film has its funny moments. Slowly, a grasped the humor of the film. Trevorrow did a great job in one sequence, basing comedy only on reactions. I am impressed with how well Trevorrow worked with the cast to convey the interactions that we see.

What is your definition of time travel? If you were ever presented with the idea to go back in time, what is your reason for going back? We all have an event in our lives that we’re not proud of.

You’re not going to be your age forever. Live in the moment. Safety Not Guaranteed is all about second chances. It’s a character study. One of the most important things about this film is to have an open mind about it. There’s more to a person, like the title of this film.

Time travel fans should watch this film. Read between the lines because Safety Not Guaranteed has a bigger moral than you think.