This funny and unpredictable movie begins with a journey so interesting and endearing that we (the characters and the audience) do not realize that the path changed at some point along the way. Where the film starts feels so distant by the end. It is not about time travel, or a funny story about a guy who thinks he can time travel, or even about the mystery of whether he can or not. Hope and the importance of relationships are what really matter. The characters learn this and I think the audience does as well. The final 10 minutes and the somewhat ambiguous (but perfect and beautiful) ending left me shivering with excitement and smiling inside. All the whimsical strangeness, all the wondering and confusion, and all the laugh out loud moments that came before wrap up into something that is truly touching. I have been in a good mood since it ended.
Aubrey Plaza is beautiful in her early cynicism but radiant in her final hopefulness. Mark Duplass manages to be weird and slightly "off" while remaining intriguing and likable. The supporting cast of characters, specifically Jake Johnson and Karan Soni, grow within the story. Their journeys are different but parallel and they each achieve some sort of new understanding.
Safety Not Guaranteed is a small film with a big heart. Time travel turns out to be more about the places we have been and are going rather than finding the perfect destination. Who we meet, how we connect, and what we tell ourselves is important. The journey defines the endpoint. This film reminds us of that.
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