What Goes Up (2009)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Jonathan Glatzer

Writers:

Jonathan Glatzer (writer)
Robert Lawson (writer)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

A Different Class of Misfits

Plot:

Set in the mid-80's when a reporter is sent to cover the Challenger Space Shuttle launch only to become mixed up in the lives of some local students.

Plot Keywords:

Reporter | Suicide | 1986 | New Hampshire | Caught Having Sex

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Steve Coogan	...	Campbell Babbitt
Hilary Duff	...	Lucy Diamond
Olivia Thirlby	...	Tess Sullivan
Josh Peck	...	Jim Lement
Molly Shannon	...	Penelope Little
Molly Price	...	Donna Arbetter
Max Hoffman	...	Fenster Itski
Sarah Lind	...	Peggy Popoladopolous
Laura Konechny	...	Lute Lement
Ingrid Nilson	...	Ann
Andrea Brooks	...	Sue
Andrew Wheeler	...	Principal Dick Person
Gabrielle Rose	...	Mrs. Bridigan
Colleen Rennison	...	Sylvia
Aubrey Mozino	...	Blythe

Also Known As:

Safety Glass (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug use, all involving teens.

Runtime:

USA:104 min (cut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:R

Filming Locations:

Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Nasser Group

Trivia:

The film has been in production for many years. Originally Mandy Moore was cast as Lucy, Amber Tamblyn was cast as Tess, and Kelli Garner was cast as Peggy. In early 2008 all three dropped out and Amanda Seyfried was given the role of the character Peggy. She was then cast as Sophie in the film Mamma Mia! (2008) and dropped out of What Goes Up (2009) and was replaced by Sarah Lind. Hilary Duff and Olivia Thirlby were then cast in the roles of Lucy and Tess respectively.

Movie Connections:

References Dr. No (1962)

Soundtrack:

Any Other Day

A good little indie

'What Goes Up' written and directed by first timers Jonathan Glatzer and Robert Lawson, is not a perfect film but it is by no means a terrible film either. At current the film has received 145 votes and has a score of 4.8, well that's just ridiculous and in the review below I hope to explain why.

The Film starts off with much promise, Steve Coogan's acting is superb and the rest of the cast do a very good job too. For the first hour this is a very good film, it's deep, engrossing, and imaginative as it sets up for what seems to be a powerful and emotive story with an interesting array if characters and some brilliant cinematography. I found myself truly captivated, the integration of the Challenger disaster was done very tactfully and we frequently get some wonderful shots from Space that I really liked. However, about an hour in it starts to lose pace followed by a slight loss of direction as the main character, Campbell Babbitt, undergoes a sudden change that really doesn't suit and is poorly developed. The film then goes the same way as Campbell becoming a bit annoying and awkward at times. By the end I found myself feeling a little disappointed as it had thrown almost all the potential it had shown early on, settling of a generic and uninspired end.

All in all 'What Goes Up' is OK, great in parts whilst boring and unoriginal in others, yet, for all its faults I liked it. It may not be perfect but come on people, even 'Little Nicky' has a 5/10 and trust me this is much, much better than 'Little Nicky'. The first hour and brilliant cinematography ensure that 'What Goes Up' is not a 4.8, it's a film defiantly worth watching and one I would happily recommend.

6/10