by Chuck Lindas, Reporter

Those of us who really enjoyed films such as Cyrus and Jeff Who Lives at Home, both written and directed by the brothers Duplass Jay and Mark, may have been very excited when we saw the trailer for Safety Not Guaranteed. Then we (I mean me) were shocked upon discovering that SNG was the first feature film directed by Collin Trevorrow and written by Derek Connolly. Sure, Mark Duplass (The League) is an actor in Safety Not Guaranteed but he is not credited with having co-written or directed the film. This movie simply screams Duplass brothers film, all the while not actually having much to do with them. Well, there is a producing credit on this film but let’s move on from Duplass, shall we?

Safety Not Guaranteed was written based on an actual newspaper ad that was turned into an internet meme which read, “Wanted: Somebody to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You’ll get paid after we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this once before.” Frankly, I’m not sure how you could read that and not want to see a film about it or perhaps just reply to the newspaper ad yourself.

Safety Not Guaranteed stars Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Funny People) as Darius, along with Jake M. Johnson (New Girl, 21 Jump Street, No Strings Attached) as Jeff, and Karan Soni (Touch, Are You There Chelsea) as Arnau.

Jeff is assigned to write a story in a magazine about the aforementioned time travel advertisement and he takes a couple of interns, Darius and Arnau, on a trip to get the scoop. While Darius and Arnau provide the investigative legwork, Jeff reveals his true motivation, to hook-up with an old fling he had met one summer in his youth. So, Darius finds herself spending much alone time with Mark Duplass’s character Kenneth, the man who wrote the mysterious ad. It’s Darius’s job to discern whether or not Kenneth is an actual mad-scientist time traveler or simply mad.

As you can imagine, romance ensues! Also, much comedy happens. Nearly every character in Safety Not Guaranteed meets someone either for casual encounters or long term relationship prospects. Even the pleasantly hilarious ancillary character of Arnau has his shot at love, in some form. There are so many laughs to be had in this film, particularly for those who already comfortable with Aubrey Plaza’s style. If you currently find her affectations to be grating, you may still not appreciate her style in this film. However, she does stretch her range in this and her performance is quite touching at the right times. Really though her strengths are displayed during the comedic moments of which there are a multitude. The exchanges between Darius, Arnau, and Jeff are, dare I say, laugh out loud funny. Safety Not Guaranteed also features Jeff Garlin (Curb Your Enthusiasm) and Mary Lynn Rajskub (24) in brief but fun supporting roles.

Of course, there is an alleged time-traveler involved in this story. Much of the time Darius spends with Kenneth is spent in training and planning for an apparent journey in a time machine that Kenneth alludes to but is careful not to reveal too much detail about. Kenneth is wary of Darius’s motivations for wanting to go back in time with him. She has concocted a cover story and must be careful not to tip him off to the fact that she’s working on a magazine article. All the while, she is naturally suspicious of this awkward loner who claims to be able to travel back in time.

As my girlfriend and I left the theater, we discussed Primer and Lost and the merits of a story that hints at the possibilities vs. a story that shows everything. How important is it for a film to resolve certain plot points or answer every question it asks? Is a movie better if it’s got the money shot or is it more fun to leave some things to the imagination? Our discussion also touched on how relationships evolve and the significance of faith and trust in building those bonds. Safety Not Guaranteed is about whether or not we should live in the now or dwell in the warming comfort of nostalgia. It’s funny, poignant, thought provoking, and what more could you ask for in a film? Time travel, perhaps?

Rating:

ComicsOnline gives Safety Not Guaranteed 4.21 gigawatts out of 5.

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