Safety Not Guaranteed

Darius Britt, a recent college graduate, struggles with her discontent while living with her widowed father. She spends her days interning at a Seattle magazine, feeling the weight of unmet expectations and desires.

While at work, a peculiar classified ad catches the attention of Jeff, one of the magazine's writers. The ad calls for someone to travel back in time and suggests that the endeavor is serious, offering a monetary return after the journey.

Intrigued by the ad, Jeff pitches the story idea to his boss, Bridget, and gathers a team, which includes Darius and Arnau, a biology major. The trio embarks on a road trip to Ocean View with the aim of uncovering the identity of the ad's author.

Upon arrival in Ocean View, the team discovers that the author of the ad is Kenneth Calloway, a grocery store stock clerk. Jeff's initial attempt to contact Kenneth fails, leading him to direct Darius to take the lead instead.

Darius successfully reaches out to Kenneth with her candid personality, winning his trust. Kenneth expresses his paranoia, believing that secret agents are watching him, which creates an intriguing tension between the characters.

As Darius and Kenneth engage in various training exercises in the wilderness, their relationship deepens. The bonding experiences culminate in a kiss, marking a significant shift in their connection and emotional landscape.

Darius opens up about the loss of her mother, revealing her fears and her desire to avoid such grief in the future. Kenneth reciprocates by sharing his motivation to travel back to 2001 to save Belinda, his former girlfriend who died tragically.

Meanwhile, Jeff seeks out Liz, his high school crush, hoping to rekindle a connection. Their reunion turns bittersweet as Liz declines his invitation to Seattle, sensing that Jeff's intentions are more about nostalgia than genuine affection.

In a shocking twist, Jeff learns from Bridget that Belinda is alive. Darius interviews Belinda and discovers that her past with Kenneth is not as they both believed, creating a stir among the group and altering their perspectives.

The revelation about Belinda leads to a confrontation with two government agents spying on Kenneth. They suspect him of being a spy and this escalates the urgency and tension as they seek to get to the bottom of his peculiar activities.

Darius finds Kenneth distressed, believing that Belinda's survival indicates his time travel efforts worked. In a moment of panic, Kenneth misinterprets Darius's intentions, causing him to flee into the woods as Jeff bursts in with warnings.

Darius pursues Kenneth into the woods and discovers that he has been constructing a time machine on a boat. This revelation sets the stage for a pivotal decision concerning their futures and the possibility of time travel.

In a heartfelt conversation aboard the boat, Darius confesses that her feelings for Kenneth are real, despite her earlier dishonesty. Kenneth recalibrates his mission, now wanting to return to the past not just for himself but also for Darius.

As the tension mounts with Jeff, Arnau, and the agents watching from a distance, Kenneth prepares to activate his time machine. With a final decision made, both Kenneth and Darius vanish into thin air, stepping into an uncertain time travel journey.

With Darius and Kenneth gone, Jeff and Arnau are left to ponder the implications of their friends’ leap through time. The future remains uncertain, leaving their stories to be unwritten as they consider what truly matters.