Welcome, newbies, to this college town of madness. If it is cinematic genius you search for, “Rocket Science” might not lure you away from your welcome week, which might as well be known as “binge drinking to meet your new friends and good luck finding your way back to your dorm” week. But for the seasoned Badgers, a trip to the immaculate Sundance Theatre for an entertaining, nostalgic trip back to the halls of high school is a great way to escape the spotty weather which continues to daunt our campus. With its amphitheater-style seating, this theater also provides the perfect venue for a film that brings us back to the time not far gone, a time when we all seemed lost and confused in our own ways.
Writer/director Jeffrey Blitz brings this time to the indie screen with the dryly refreshing film “Rocket Science.” This dark comedy highlights the journey of Hal Hefner, played by Reece Thompson, a young man with a speech impediment, lost in high school where he discovers the competitive world of speech debate. This backdrop only serves as a palate for Hefner, as the script is meant to explore the hurdles and trenches of the adolescent battleground better known as high school. Emotional turmoil begins due to Hefner’s stuttering, which builds frustration for the intelligent young man unable to convey the thoughts that build inside his head. Luckily, captain of the debate team Ginny Ryerson, played by Anna Kendrick, intuitively realizes Hefner's potential as a debate superstar and decides to take him under her wing and mold him into the likeness of her once legendary debater, Ben (Nicholas D’Agosto).
With his soothing voice, narrator Dan Cashman provides the thread that sews together the multitude of ideas fighting to be released from Hefner’s mind. Although at points it seems Cashman dictates the obvious, the voice-over provides continuity and a constant reminder of Hefner's daily struggle to express himself. The school therapist, Lewinsky (Maury Ginsberg), attempts to relieve this struggle but is far from a specialist in dealing with stutters. Nevertheless, Lewinsky tries his hardest and even gives some humorous suggestions, such as speaking with an accent.
“Rocket Science” has been stylistically compared to the work of Wes Anderson and a hybrid of last year's critically acclaimed “Little Miss Sunshine” and another cult hit “Napoleon Dynamite.” With the coming-of-age theme splashed across the screen, it becomes apparent early in the film this is an ordinary kid from an ordinary town (Plainsboro, NJ) merely trying to find his inner voice. This film is able to capture the provocation that often captures the average teenager trying to navigate through the jungle of high school. Although this is a film about high school, the message of trying to find your own voice is not limited in who can connect and appreciate the ups and downs of a little thing called life.
As this semester begins, numerous questions filled with excitement and neuroses filter through campus. It is a fresh start, and, if you can learn from Hefner, you can overcome your fears or small hurdles, and everything might not turn out as the perfect ending. Giving up is never an option because, if you can manage to order one piece of pizza after struggling for an entire school year, it doesn't matter how long it takes to find your voice, only how you find it. Dedicated to all the quirky, nerdy, offbeat Hal Hefners.
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