Chaos Theory







Ryan Reynolds stars in an emotional dramatic comedy about the human condition—a story of family, friends and finding order in a world of chaos. A man known for playing it safe, Frank (Reynolds) doesn't believe in taking chances or acting on a whim. His comfortable, predictable life begins to unravel in unexpected ways when a misunderstanding with his wife (Emily Mortimer) reveals truths about his family that force him to re-examine and question the role of fate. As Frank throws caution to the wind, deciding to break all the rules and conventions that have defined him, he discovers that sometimes, no matter how prepared you are, how organized, nothing stops the serendipitous nature of love and forgiveness. Co-starring Stuart Townsend.

Chaos Theory • by director Marcos Siega

On the surface Chaos Theory is a simple story about a man who is given some emotionally devastating news and how, in dealing with it, goes on a chaotic ride to re-discover who he is and the true meaning of love. I guess I could leave it at that and just let you take the ride. But the truth is that there is so much more to it than what sits on the surface.

There is a line towards the end of the film where our protagonist, Frank (Ryan Reynolds), says...“You ever hear of Chaos Theory, Ed? It’s a science that tries to find underlying patterns in chaotic systems. Weather, ocean currents, blood flow. Turns out there are few things more chaotic than the beat of a human heart. Speeding up, slowing down. A flight of stairs, a pretty face. Constantly changing depending on what’s happening to us out there. It’s an erratic little son-of-a-bitch. But under all that bump-a-da-bump mess there is a pattern. An order. A simple truth. It’s called love.” I remember the first time I read the screenplay and how those words affected me, how everything I had just read sort of came together for me at that moment.

When I met with the studio and producers we talked extensively about the tone of the film, and through it all, I kept thinking—how do I get to that moment in the film and have the audience feel what I felt when I read it for the first time? The truth is, it is a bit more complicated than it sounds. Having someone tell you how you are supposed to feel is very different than actually understanding the feeling because you’ve experienced it. What I really wanted was for the audience to understand what Frank was saying at that moment. Not because he was telling us, but because they were just stepping off the same “chaotic” ride.

But how would I get there? Do I emphasize the drama that sends his world into a tailspin and risk possibly feeling like a melodramatic “movie of the week”? Or do I embrace the comedy and maybe leave audiences unable to take the film seriously? It’s a fine line because audiences usually expect one or the other, and to the studios there is no greater sin than labeling your film a “dramedy.”

Ultimately, I want you, the audience, to enjoy both the peaks and the valleys—to watch a film that hits the emotional notes just as hard as it does the comedic beats and hopefully this shift in tone would mirror the chaos in Frank’s life, taking you on the ride with him.

Luckily, with the support of the producers, the writer (Daniel Taplitz) and an incredible cast (Ryan Reynolds, Emily Mortimer and Stuart Townsend), I think we struck a balance that truly captures Frank’s explanation of “Chaos Theory,” that underneath all the bump-a-da-bump mess there IS a pattern.