2007 · Movie
Chaos Theory
Frank Allen is an efficiency expert, his job which reflects his straight-laced life. He truly does believe that being organized makes him happier and that it will do the same for others. He is married to equally straight-laced Susan, an elementary school teacher. Frank and Susan's outlook is in outward contrast to their friend, irresponsible and womanizing Buddy Endrow, who along with a lawyer named Damon are probably Frank's two closest buddies. Frank practices what he preaches in that he makes to do and priority lists, the latter on index cards, one item per card so that they can be reordered if he feels the priorities change over time for whatever the issue. Two things that happen to Frank in succession in one day eight years into his and Susan's marriage lead to a series of misunderstandings by Susan, which in turn result in some revelations seriously impacting Frank, Susan and their daughter Jesse's collective as a loving, supportive family unit, and Frank's view of that life of order. Years later on the morning that Jesse is getting married, Frank feels the need to corner Jesse's fiancé, Ed, a man he doesn't know well, but believes may be second best for Jesse. In what little Frank has seen and knows about what has been Ed and Jesse's up and down relationship, Frank knows that Ed is questioning what he and Jesse are about to do in getting married. Frank proceeds to tell Ed that story of the happenings of that day eight years into his and Susan's marriage and its aftermath which is meant to affect if Ed goes through with the marriage, and how he may view marriage in its entirety.