What Goes Up (2009)

A different way of telling a story

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

You're either going to love this or hate it. Steve Coogan plays a reporter goes to New Hampshire round about the time of the Challenger disaster, and hooks up with the misfit students of a college friend who recently died. Quirky comedy drama is a film that has moments but it never clicked with me. To me it was trying too hard not to be the the typical American made film. It didn't help that I never warmed to Coogan, who is an actor I either lover or hate. He is a funny man but at the same time his performances always strike me as much too mannered and structured. He never seems real. On the other end of the spectrum is Hillary Duff who is rapidly becoming one of the best actresses in film. Say what you will the girl has range and ability as this film and other films like War Inc have proved. It didn't work for me, it might for you (there is a great deal of passion at IMDb from people who feel its rated way too low). try it if the mood hits you.

The new indie comedy What Goes up is somewhat amusing in its storytelling but is also too confusing for its own good. While it's all one story, it packs too much into its story. The story follows reporter Campbell Babbitt (Steve Coogan), who writes a story about a woman who lost her son to civil acts. But then she commits suicide. He then is sent to report about the Challenger Space Flight launch. There he meets a group of misfit students. He gets a lot of his information from student Tess (Olivia Thirbly). Later, when reporting the story, he falls for a student named Lucy (Hilary Duff). The Movie shows him getting to know these students. The fact that it goes between Campbell's visit to the town, and the days adding up to the Challenger Space Flight launch, but making it all one story makes the movie feel forced, and confused. As I was watching this, I felt somewhat entertained, but I also cringed in all the brain power it took to figure out just what was going on. Overall, you can skip this one, because even if you are entertained by it, it won't be worth it for the simple fact that it's so damn confusing.

'What Goes Up' is set around the Challenger Space Shuttle Tragedy time frame in 1986, with the shuttle mishap as a backdrop. What the film actually revolves around, is a group of teenage rejects or in the words of the writer – 'The Unteachables' and Campbell Babbit (played by British comic Steve Coogan), a journalist, leaving behind his misfortunes in New York to arrive at the town of New Hampshire, where so much seems to be going on...For at the same time, Babbit's old college mate - Sam Calallucci has 'died under unfortunate circumstances' leaving behind a disoriented group of teenage students from a classroom called 'The Shed'. What Goes Up guides us along the journey of these misfits, who are falling apart, following the death of their Idol and somehow look up to Calalluci's supposed 'best friend' Babbit for support. Babbit, meanwhile is looking for redemption from certain false journalistic endeavors and a love affair gone awry, and tries to find it as he gets involved in the affairs of the shed.Okay, so may be this isn't the kind of movie that will have you at the edge of your seats, gripping you throughout its entire run. But what makes the movie special, are the beautiful moments that are scattered about the storyline and you can't help but be touched by them and feel for the characters involved! These moments come in bursts and they are funny and sad and plainly disturbing at times, but mostly – altogether Ironic... Irony! Now that's something portrayed amazingly in the movie!!! There are some pretty powerful performances delivered by the actors and some of them have done more than the justice to the beautiful characters built up by Jonathan Glatzer. Steeve Coogan playing the cynical, emotionally disturbed reporter shines throughout the movie. Hilary Duff as Lucy, the confused, perturbed, wannabe temptress is, in one word – AMAZING!!! Not only does she look stunningly beautiful in the movie, but she has clearly proved that she has talent (and I keep wondering why the critics keep denying that). She is still very young and I believe and hope that she has an awesome journey ahead of her in the film industry. Other performances worth mentioning among others are Olivia Thirlby as Tess and Josh Peck as Jim and these two captivate the viewers in each of their scenes. The episodes relating to Peggy, the wheel-chair ridden girl, touch the heart. However, Molly Shannon as Ms. Little, goes overboard and I felt, is clearly the least best part of the movie. The other characters from the shed are a bit lackluster and uninteresting too.Other factors that are impressing are the neat cinematography, the nice integration with the space shuttle tragedy, and specially worth a mention is the background score which seems catchy and likable.Personally, I feel that What Goes Up, in its run time, somehow finds a way into your heart, its characters, striking a chord somewhere to get you thinking! I would highly recommend this movie, not withstanding the ratings given above (which I'm sincerely appalled by!!!). Definitely worth a watch!

Premiered at the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival in May 2009 and i must say what a pleasant surprise this movie is. Although set around the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy, this flick does not use that in anyway that would diminish that horrific event. The ending could have gone that way, but thankfully doesn't and it makes you leave the theater very pleased that it didn't.... as lesser film makers might have exploited it. You are left wondering just who the student was that caused teacher Sam Calallucci to throw himself off the roof of his apartment. His death coincides with the visit of Campbell Bobbitt ((played coolly by Steve Coogan)) an old college buddy who just can't get past a story he has written about a local hero who he has a relationship with. Bobbitt arrives in the New Hampshire hometown of doomed school teacher Christa McAuliffe. The town is putting on all sorts of events, including a special play at the school. Bobbitt though, gets caught up with a group of teenage students that had a special bond with Calallucci and in a way takes the place of his old chum, even wearing his jacket. Bobbitt finds a hidden note about his friend being suspended for inappropriate behavior with one of his students. All eyes point to Lucy ((brilliantly played by Hilary Duff)), but it isn't so. In fact we never find out for sure as my buddy and I discussed after the movie as we both had varied ideas. A sub plot involving a teen romance with a girl paralyzed from the waste down never gets it's due and in fact is played for laughs which is the one major down-point of this flick. Anyway, you are in for a pleasant surprise if you come across this movie.