By Robert Hankinson

Perhaps the creators of Ashton Kutcher’s recent attempt to crossover into drama should have used their concept of time travel to go back and rethink the production of this film. Kutcher, known for his goofy roles in

“That ’70s Show” and “Dude, Where’s My Car?” left his trucker hat behind in his latest film, “The Butterfly Effect” to join the ranks of acclaimed actors such as Tom Hanks and Robin Williams, to make the leap from comedy to drama. However, Kutcher falls short of his contemporaries.

“The Butterfly Effect” chronicles the life of Evan Treborn (Kutcher) as he battles a rare mental affliction that causes him to blackout traumatic memories. Evan later learns of his power to not only recall these memories, but also relive them and change the outcome of his past decisions. Throughout the film, it is difficult to separate Kutcher from some of his better-known roles, such as “That ’70s Show” neighborhood idiot, Michael Kelso.

One student agrees Kutcher should stick at what he does best – comedy.

“It was hard to take Ashton Kutcher seriously in the film. I didn’t know whether to laugh or be sad during the dramatic parts,” said Dan Moreno, a freshman music industry major.

Much of the audience at the advanced screening of the film shown at the AMC Theater at Fenway on Jan. 9, reacted the same way, laughing out loud during most of the film’s poignant and frequently disturbing scenes. After witnessing such shocking scenes involving child pornography, suicide and the borderline-offensive jail scene where Kutcher’s character spews out a slew of racial slurs, the audience sat with their heads cocked to the side in utter confusion long after the film’s 113 minutes. The desired effect of adding a gritty real life element, comes off as forced and does little to add legitimacy to the film.

“I’m pretty sure my mouth was open the entire movie, marveling at its ridiculousness,” said Nina Baltierra, a freshman communications major.

Co-star Amy Smart offers little support, as she fails to even outshine her performance in 2001’s “Rat Race” and Ethan Suplee, as Evan’s college roommate, serves more as comic relief than a misunderstood goth meant to evoke empathy from the audience.

While tackling complex theories regarding chaos and time, the film’s intended depth is lost due to poor casting and inferior dialogue. Content takes a backseat to Kutcher’s star power, as the film does more to focus on its leading man. Despite the “Ashton Mania” surrounding the film, Kutcher’s crossover should be dismissed faster than you can say, “Punk’d.”