In Cinemas October 18th
Comedy, Censor's rating: M – Sexual references and coarse language
Safety Not Guaranteed is a film based around three magazine writers who are in search of a unique story, presenting the audience with a quirky plotline which takes them on a humorous yet heartfelt journey.
The writers are assigned a story inspired by an advertisement placed in an alternative newspaper, man seeking a time travel partner, warning candidates “Safety Not Guaranteed” – this film is anything but clichéd.
Starring Jake M. Johnson (from Fox comedy series, New Girl) as Jeff, an employee for the magazine, and his two interns selected to accompany him with the story, Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation) as Darius, the awkward, melancholic girl stereotyped by Jeff as “the lesbian”, and Karan Soni, playing Arnau, the token nerdy Indian, viewers are endlessly entertained with deadpan comedy, glints of sci-fi, and numerous unexpected twists.
The movie sets off when Jeff puts his hand up to track down the author of the time travel ad, Kenneth (Mark Duplass, Your Sister’s Sister), who Jeff intends to use as the foundation of this humorous story he envisions.
Darius and Arnau are then dragged along with Jeff from Seattle to Oceanview, Washington.
Expecting Kenneth to be psychologically unstable, the three plan a mockingly funny story at his expense; oblivious to the spiralling road of mystery they will be lead on, all the way until the very end.
Jeff is your typically sleazy yet likeable alpha male. He throws the workload of research and investigating onto the two interns, while entertaining the idea that a girl he messed around with on family vacations at Oceaview, when he was 16, would still be the young, hot, blonde he remembered her to be.
While Darius is out convincing Kenneth the “time traveller” (according to his ad), that she is the partner he has been looking for to join him on his time travelling adventure, Jeff finds out that Liz (Jenica Bergere) has in fact aged, coloured her hair red, and inherited middle aged curves; facing him with the conflict of rejecting someone who he had been thinking about for years on a superficial basis, or challenging his stereotypical alpha male character and taking the risk of getting to know Liz all over again as a matured woman.
Amongst all the drama and surprise we have a nerdy, glasses wearing Indian virgin. Typically, the alpha male feels it is his duty to step in and get Arnau “laid”. This comedy/sci-fi film is hilarious and warming all at once. I’ll admit, being a girl who usually enjoys light hearted chick flicks or deeply emotive dramas, I was expecting a corny and predictable action movie, targeted towards young males – and how wrong I was!
This film kept me engrossed the whole way through and exceeded my expectations. It is not surprising that Safety Not Guaranteed was so uniquely crafted, considering the makers were also behind the popular comedy-drama Little Miss Sunshine.
Containing expected – and much welcomed comedic sexual innuendo, as well as themes of love, regret, time travel, risk taking and believing; director, Colin Trevorrow, and writer, Derek Connolly do not fail to please, bringing an eccentric and engaging must-see story, appealing to a broad audience.
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