TRANSCRIPT HERE
It had to be done. After a Netflix watch party everyone voted for but nobody wanted, Steph and Michael decided they simply must make an episode talking about 2004’s absolutely ridiculous psychological thriller, The Butterfly Effect starring Ashton Kutcher. We change up the format today by breaking down the problematic tropes, themes and messages plotpoint by plotpoint, to really hit home why this is an absolutely terrible movie. It’s also quite traumatic and distressing, so be warned!!
CONTENT WARNING:, Lots of Swearing (in first 20 seconds sorry) suicide, childhood abuse and trauma, sexual assault & rape, animal cruelty, ableism,use of ableist terms, harmful portrayals of sex work, discussion of disability inspiration porn.
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REFERENCES
The Butterfly Effect (2004) - IMDb
The Butterfly Effect (Film) - TV Tropes
How Ashton Kutcher Prepared For His Role In 'The Butterfly Effect' (thethings.com)
The Butterfly Effect – Ending Explained & Film Analysis – Blimey
The Butterfly Effect's Original Ending Was Ridiculously Grim (slashfilm.com)
NOTE: This podcast is not designed to be therapeutic, prescriptive or constitute a formal diagnosis for any listener, nor the characters discussed. The host is not representative of all psychologists and opinions stated are her own personal opinion, based on her own learnings and training (and minimal lived experience). Host and co-hosts do not have the final say and can only comment based on their own perspectives, so please let us know if you dispute any of these opinions – we are keen for feedback!
Editor: Nic Fornasier, Music: Michael Watson, Artwork: Bronte Poynts
Episode 13: The Father, or let’s all experience dementia together
Episode 12b: The Simpsons Tackle Depression & Anxiety! Part 2: Was the Simpsons good for mental illness stigma? (with Nathan Phillips)
Episode 12a: The Simpsons Tackle Depression & Anxiety! Part 1: How The Simpsons evolved and shaped us (or didn’t) (with Nathan Phillips)
Episode 11b: The Royal Tenenbaums, or when shitty dads mess up their clever kids - Part 2: Wes-isms under a mental health lens (with Nic Fornasier)
Episode 11a: The Royal Tenenbaums, or when shitty dads mess up their clever kids - Part 1: The Family of Geniuses (with Nic Fornasier)
Episode 10: The Virgin Suicides, teen angst and mental illness through the male gaze (with Maz Fornasier)
Episode 9: Me Before You, voluntary assisted dying, and the devaluing of disability
Episode 8: The Queen’s Gambit, aka chess & drugs & Anya Taylor Joy (with Maz Fornasier)
Episode 7: Tully -aka Juno grows up and goes through post partum depression
Episode 6: Love Actually - about mental health and disability, actually.
Episode 5: Donnie Darko - schizophrenia or time travel?
Episode 4: Ratched VS One Flew Over the Cuckoo‘s Nest and the history of mental health instutions
Episode 3: Rain Man - Hollywood’s first autism movie
Episode 2: The Sopranos - lets have a very long chat about Tony Soprano and Dr Melfi
Episode 1: Joker - DC has things to say about mental illness
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