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 Rocket Science 

What grade would you give this film?
A 33%  33%  [ 1 ]
B 67%  67%  [ 2 ]
C 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
D 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
F 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Total votes : 3

 Rocket Science 
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Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 8:01 pm
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Post Rocket Science
Rocket Science

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Rocket Science is a 2007 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Jeffrey Blitz, and starring Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas D'Agosto, Vincent Piazza, and Aaron Yoo. It tells the story of Hal Hefner, a fifteen-year-old stutterer who decides to join his school's debate team when he develops a crush on its star member, and addresses the themes of coming of age, sexuality, and finding one's voice.

Blitz conceived a rough storyline for the film while making Spellbound, a documentary about 1999's Scripps National Spelling Bee, but an HBO Films executive persuaded him to write the film based on his own adolescence when he told her about his experiences as a stutterer. The film's producers visited several cities in the United States and Canada; Thompson was cast based on a tape which his agent had sent and a follow-up audition after the first actor cast in the lead was forced to pull out. The film was shot over 30 days in Baltimore, Maryland and Trenton, New Jersey.

Rocket Science premiered on January 19, 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival and was theatrically released on August 10. It was not a financial success, earning only US$756,000 from its $4.5 million budget, though it was well-received by critics. Reviewers praised Thompson and Kendrick's performances and the film's parallels to real life; others believed that the film was deliberately quirky and forgettable. It was nominated for Sundance's Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and three Independent Spirit Awards, though it failed to win any.

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Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:05 pm
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Joined: Sat Oct 30, 2004 1:13 pm
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Post Re: Rocket Science
[Here's a copy of my review from over in the (not dead yet) Foreign & Independent forum: ]



Rocket Science... is thankfully NOT rocket science!

Rocket Science is in fact, the latest in the seemingly thriving sub-genre of NERD-COM (q.v.: Napoleon Dynamite, Bubble Boy, etc.)

It is a fine example of the species, though taxonomists should note that it displays a strong hybrid streak of it's ROM parentage. Some might go as far as to call it a NERD-ROM-COM, though I certainly wouldn't. This is actually a surprisingly early remake of another, far inferior, indie movie from earlier this year, called Once. That was what might charitably be referred to as a NERD-ROM, but fortunately this director gets it right. This is how to show the tragedy of a real-life romance! Who needs the frickin' Frames, when ya got the Battle Hymn of the Republic?

The guy, the lead nerd, was great! I knew/know guys just like that, and I bet most of you did/do too. The screenplay was really sharp and really funny - - how rare is that these days? After this and the director's rookie film, the super doc Spellbound - - I can't wait to see where Jeffery Blitz's career takes him!!!

8 out of 5.


Wed Aug 29, 2007 3:15 pm
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Wallflower
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Location: Minnesota
Post Re: Rocket Science
ROCKET SCIENCE - 7/10 ( B )

Really enjoyed it. I found Anna Kendrick brilliant as Ginny. And I loved Nicholas D'Agosto (Heroes) as Ben Wekselbaum. I'm really crushing on this guy. I hope to see him in more movies soon.


Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:12 pm
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