Mark's Must See Movies - Safety Not Guaranteed

When a strange ad in the classified section of a newspaper advertises someone seeking a partner to travel back in time with - Safety not guaranteed. The ad catches the eye of a writer for a Seattle based magazine named Jeff (Jake Johnson) and wish to investigate the ad for a possible story. With the help of two interns Darius (Aubrey Plaza) and Arnau (Karan Soni) the three set out to the a small Pacific Northwest coastal town to gather the information needed for their story.

After learning the identity of the ads author is a grocery store worker named Kenneth (Mark Duplass), Darius is handed the task of gaining his trust in order to get the information they need for the story. As Darius assists Kenneth in preparing for their mission, the two learn more about one another and develop a special connection. As Darius and Kenneth grow closer and the time for them to travel back fast approaches, it becomes harder for her to determine whether or not Kenneth is insane or if he has actually succeeded in building a time machine.

Safety Not Guaranteed is a movie that surprised me on many levels. The movie received high praise at the 2012 Sundance movie festival and was equally loved by audiences and critics. On the surface, the film is an off beat comedy about a man who claims he's built a time machine. However under lining themes of love, regrets, lost dreams, and making every day of your life count are what really gives this movie it's staying power. Aubrey Plaza (Many will recognize her as April in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation) gives a fantastic performance in her leading role and has perfect on screen chemistry with Duplass. Jake Johnson's character of Jeff is one I think many can relate too and also gives a great performance in doing so. I have to say again how shocked I was at the hear and sentiment this film carried along with it but did so without every being sappy, corny, or using any age old cliches.

This movie is just another brilliant example of just how great a low budget and independent film can be. Click here to watch the trailer for Safety Not Guaranteed on YouTube and Netflix users can watch this film online now via instant screen.