Rocket Science

FLICK “Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes, turn and face the strain.” Stuttering in rock music has helped to create cool-sounding songs but it can be very troublesome when it happens to a teenager in high school. So imagine what it’s like for nerdy Hal Hefner (Reece Thompson) when he’s asked to join the debate team by the brainy and attractive Ginny Ryerson (Anna Kendrick).
Director and screenwriter Jeffrey Blitz makes a nice transition from his documentary Spellbound, about training for the national spelling bee, to dramatic features with another teen tale Rocket Science.
When telling the story, Blitz doesn’t make expected choices, which is what really works here. While we want Hal to succeed and win the debate, it becomes more about self-discovery and being triumphant with oneself.
Themes and situations that suggest reasons for Hal’s lack of social skills and "disfluency" are presented but not always explored, allowing the viewer to make their own connections with the characters.
Hal’s stuttering represents the inability to express what is inside. His unstable home life with separated parents and a bullying brother serves to fester his insecurity, making him feel at odds with other adolescents while trying to find a way to fit in.
There is a lot humor but we never laugh at Hal. Thompson has a natural sincerity and is incredibly convincing at showing frustration one moment and a desire for achievement the next. You feel his embarrassment as he stammers in front of the cafeteria ladies waiting for him to decide if he’ll order fish or pizza for lunch. Though you can’t be certain of Ginny’s motivations, she has given him a goal and something to accomplish. You still wonder whether he’ll get the nerve to go a step further and make that love connection with her, even as she moves away from him.
Rocket Science is “not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation talking about my g-g-generation.” But it does simply comment on the missteps of adolescence while avoiding predictability. However you say it, this is a refreshing coming-of-age film that is certainly un-debatable. My Score: 8 out of 10.