A little independent gem, "Rocket Science" is as charming and quirky as the 2007 darling "Juno" and even better than other coming-of-age comedies such as "Thumbsucker" or "Napoleon Dynamite", but there's nothing "funny" in this excellent comedy. The main character really doesn't have a clue where to go in his search for a meaning of life and the others around him are as lost. "Rocket Science" is just like Hal Hefner: Unresolved but brilliant, Annoying but unforgettable.
thumbsucker was decent. there were nice things about rocket science...but the fact that he's [a shy kid with a nervous disorder who joins the debate team for love and is ultimately used but over comes his problem] is too much like thumbsucker for me to not compare them. the next film by this director will probably be great...he's got potential... these kind of movies are getting on my nerves though... they're just too hip.
A very quirky independent film filled with unique characters. The actors do a fine job with their roles but the story never really goes anywhere. There are a few funny moments but I find the film has no real payoff.
a terrificly honest and well acted film about the wonders of youth. it makes you laugh but in a painful, awkward way. i felt a personal connection with the protagonist in his embarrassingly painful moments. see it
By all reasoning I should be sick of quirky, coming-of-age indie-comedies. There's been a glut of them the last decade, every year a couple more are released, usually at Sundance; Juno being the most popular of the bunch, most are released on DVD and quickly forgotten. But I seek out all of them, I have some sort of an unknown affinity towards them; even though they're all starting to blur together; one large mess of awkward teenagers, smart-ass dialogue, symmetrical photography, over-done set design, obscure rock song soundtracks and dry, all-knowing narrators.
Rocket Science really takes the cake in the quirk department; there's very little here that rings true. I mean, who really plays The Violent Femmes' Blister in the Sun on cello? But movies don't have to be real, that's the whole point, to produce an alternate universe of your own design. Writer/Director Jeffrey Blitz, who made the excellent documentary Spellbound, has created a fairly well-made and funny ride through the embarrassing teenage years.
Hal Hefner,an uneasy high school freshmen, stutters his way through life, his parents have just split-up, and his big brother is a bully and a kleptomaniac; nothing seems to be going his way until Ginny Ryerson the bright, cute captain of the school's debate team decides that he'd be perfect as her new partner. She thinks that those with disabilities make the best debaters, because they have a deep seeded sense of anger. He's willing to give it his best shot as long as he gets to be near Ginny; he has a major crush on her, since she's the only girl that's ever given him a second glance. When they make-out in the closet at school one day, he's done for, completely obsessed.
When he fails her by badly, by stuttering his way through their first debate together, she quickly gives up on him. Even going so far as to switch to a private school, to team up with the best debater in the city. Hal is crushed. After purging his anger in a destructive and humorous manner, he decides to get revenge. He does so by tracking down Ginny's old partner Ben, who had a public meltdown in the opening scene of the film. They make a goofy team, learn some valuable life lessons, and Hal figures a bit about who he really is.
There's nothing new about Rocket Science, every character has some weird tendency, from the Mom who's become some sort of nymphomaniac to Hal's Asian friend who follows him around like a lost puppy, none of the side characters seem more than a set of movie quirks. The entire film is like that, every cliche' of the genre is thrown in. The narrator even sounds like Alec Baldwin, a Wes Anderson alum; the entire film feels like Anderson light, but director Blitz makes it work. It's all so goofy and over-the-top unrealistic that it meshes together nicely, creating a sort of comic book world. While not as good as Rushmore or Juno; if you enjoy films of this sort it's worth checking out.
A cute indie movie about a guy who stutters and falls in love with a girl whos on the debate team and lures him in to join but for all the wrong reasons. However she totally understimates Hal, who proves to be more than just some kid with a stutter. Even though it may feel like a movie where its not really moving along, it is a film that shows you things as it is, if that makes sense. Such as how it captures Hal's love for Ginny who in fact is a complete bitch, although a part of me thinks she held a little flame for him. A very enjoyable movie with a good storyline. Nicholas D'Agosto is a hottie!!!
kind of an odd jumble of all indie/awkward comedy films. it's got some great moments, and the characters are pretty interesting, but overall the film feels too long and the ending leaves you disappointed.
I was wating this movie so much and im so angry bcuz this movie is bad...
i mean it has some funny moments but thats it...
the story doesnt go to anywhere it just there..waiting and waiting..i was hoping something much more better..bcuz the trailer was so diffferent but well i saw it and it was whatever
I LOVED this! It was the perfect indie-comedy-romance. I thoroughly enjoyed it because it wasn't predictable, it wasn't trying too hard, it made real, endearing, interesting characters who were entertaining and who I could sympathize with.
Tries to be as witty as "The Royal Tenenbaums" and fails miserably. Starts out like it may be a fun, quirky, film but quickly turns to boring and forced. Just does not live up to it's potential.
Not bad. The storyline was cute and some of the characters were great. I disliked the main character though, and the way he portrayed his stutter. It seemed unrealistic to me. Some other characters were really stereotypical, which was annoying. On the other hand, Anna Kendrick played her part beautifully. And Nicholas D'Agosto is HOT. (= Decent soundtrack and some really good cinematography. A nice indie flick.
Great Indie effort that dodges every cliché of teenage highschool movies. Of course, that, in order to dodge it, it must first create the feeling of an upcoming cliché. Confused?
I love movies about underdogs. And, I love movies about underdogs that don't succeed the way they're expected to. I like this movie because it seems real and not full of forced quirky characters the way that many of the films in this genre are. Too many young directors have watched "Rushmore" way too many times. I think the realism of this movie makes it surpass "Rushmore" in that regard. Once you realize that "Juno" and "Napoleon Dynamite" weren't really that good, have a look at this film.
Technically, it's a good movie. BUT OMG HOW IRRITATING IS THE MAIN CHARACTER? I don't want to be mean, but WTF stuttering is so annoying. Aaron Yoo is such a nerd. He looks so young but he's older than me! Most of the critics loved this, though, so it's on a case by case basis. Maybe you'll love it.
There's something absolutely charming about Rocket Science. This film captures the essence of real-life teenage life. The acting is very well done. I enjoyed the debating focus. And the love story played out so dorkily that it was believable.
An alright film about a studdering high-school kid who get's recruted to the debate-team. The movie is really funny from time to time and has the potential to be so much more, but unfortunately it never comes around and deliver.
Thoroughly ok movie in the same vein as Rushmore, Thumbsucker, Election, etc. Awkward/misfit teens trying to make it through high school intact. A little too quirky for quirky's sake, but watchable.
Don't expect a film like Superbad or Juno...but if u can make it through the first 30 minutes, the characters grow into their own funny roles very well.
Not too quirky, not too mainstream, it's juuuust right. One of those rare high school movies that actually feels like being back at high school, with moments of intense sadness, intense amour, and intense embarrassment. And all looked at with fondness and humor. Reece Thompson is great as the kind of protagonist that you want desperately to succeed, even though this is the type of movie where success is not so cut and dry. With some funny cameos by Jonah Hill and Steve Park, this is a highly satisfying indy flick.
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