SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED is the type of movie that reminds you why you love movies in the first place. It doesn’t dumb itself down. It doesn’t rely on mindless explosions to distract you from any glaring plot holes. It uses special effects only when necessary, to forward the story, not because it can. But, most importantly, it relies entirely on a unique story, interesting characters, smart dialogue and some real heart to draw you in and deliver a satisfying experience at the movies. It’s a shame more movies like this don’t come our way more frequently, because SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED calls upon you to invest in the world it creates and then doesn’t cheat you. It delivers on that investment with something you can emotionally connect to. It gives you a story about love and regret, about hope and loss… It helps you strive to live in the moment, not in the past. It shows that those we might consider strange or bizarre or outsiders can be even more interesting in trying to find some special connection in this world as the likes of Reese Witherspoon or Katherine Heigl or James Marsden. (Why do they all wind up in those same roles?) And it does so simply by introducing an ad in a small town newspaper for someone looking for a time traveling partner.
When pitching story ideas for the magazine he writes for, Jeff (Jake Johnson) is able to sell the idea of investigating this ad – who wrote it, whether or not they’re serious, etc. He plucks Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni) – known to him as “the lesbian and the Indian” – as interns to help with the article and, armed with ulterior motives of finding an old fling, Jeff heads up to Oceanview, Washington with his crew to learn who is on the other end of the ad. What they find is Kenneth Calloway (Mark Duplass), a clerk at a grocery store who’s “not retarded, but definitely something wrong with him.” He believes he’s being followed. He’s paranoid that he’s being recorded, and it’s going to take a certain level of trust to be taken seriously as a candidate for his time-bending trip. Jeff’s smart-ass and douchey demeanor isn’t going to get it done, and neither is the shy Indian kid… so leave it to Plaza’s womanly charms and off-the-cuff wittiness to help break down some of Kenneth’s walls. Then we’re off to find out how committed Kenneth is to his mission, which is one of correcting regrets and mistakes and love, with Darius the driving force that gets us closer and closer to finding out what is real in this scenario and what isn’t.
The humor of SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED rests with Johnson and Soni’s relationship as the older guy trying to push his young intern beyond his comfort level. “You only live once” and “You’re only young once” seem to be wise advice from a guy who wishes he could still be stuck in a particular time and place. It’s one of those “if he only knew then what he knows now” predicaments, and there’s a bit of sadness to this guy, only in his 30s, who is so afraid of growing up, because it means leaving behind those wild and crazy days. But there’s a genuine concern between the teacher and his student here, where life lessons can be doled out not in a deep philosophical sense, but more along the lines of not waste the opportunities presented to you because you never know when, or if, they may surface again… and that includes going out and getting drunk and getting laid and having fun as opposed to being wound so tightly that you never really experience life.
As fascinating as that dynamic is on the periphery, SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED is as good as it is due to the charming interactions between Duplass and Plaza. Plaza plays a very troubled, very sad, sort of down type of girl. Even in her beautiful appearance, she’s the type of girl who wouldn’t get approached at a party or doesn’t have many friends, because you just sense the cloud that rests over her entire life. She’s dealt with some shit in her life, which is the reason for her melancholy state, but it’s not until she comes into contact with the wild Duplass here that she’s able to break out of that shell. There’s a special bond that exists between them at the very outset, and it only continues to get stronger as they get deeper into their mission preparation.
Is Kenneth a strange dude? Absolutely. If not some somewhat understanding fellow employees that allow him to have a job, there’s a fine line keeping Kenneth from becoming weird homeless guy who reeks of urine and spouts his conspiracy theories and madness drunkenly at passerbys. There’s also a pure honesty to him, the type that could resides within a man who truly believes time travel is not only possible, but that he can do it. Therefore, it’s not far-fetched at all for Darius and Kenneth to develop trust and affection for one another as a result of their heartfelt exchanges. They both may be a bit understood, but they certainly understand each other.
You don’t have to “turn your brain off,” whatever the fuck that means, for SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED. In fact, you should keep it turned up to its highest level in order to fully grasp everything that’s going on here. Also, keep your heart turned on, your eyes opened and whatever else you may need to keep handy in order to fully appreciate a movie of this nature. This is the type of movie that reminds you why you love to watch them. This is flat-out one good story.
-Billy Donnelly
"The Infamous Billy The Kidd"
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