Review of Rocket Science (2007) by Andrew B — 20 Jun 2010

At its most basic Rocket Science is about Hal Hefner (Reece Thompson), a kid growing up in a New Jersey suburb searching for his place in the world while struggling to overcome his debilitating stutter. It seems Halâ??s entire life is defined by hardship; the film opens to his father leaving after an argument with his mother, he is constantly tortured by his kleptomaniac brother, and of course his stutter keeps him from accomplishing the things he wants to, including tasks as small as asking for a slice of pizza for lunch to avoid the mystery fish. But when Hal meets Ginny Ryerson (Anna Kendrick), she gives him the confidence he needs by enlisting him for the debate team. Even though he struggles, and doesnâ??t make miraculous progress, he finds a sense of accomplishment in the work. But after a disastrous first outing, Hal ends up having an intimate moment with Ginny in the janitorâ??s closet only to be snubbed by her from then on.

Rocket Science is the difference between disingenuousness and sincerity. At first it felt like another attempt to fake endearing with quirky but it quickly became clear how wrong I was. What I mistook as quirky at first (Halâ??s intense stuttering, his friend Aaronâ??s (Aaron Yoo) bi-curious comments) eventually emerged as reality. The situations were perhaps not exact instances I or anyone else may have encountered in life but the portrayal of them was dead on. The issues mirror real life inadequacies and struggles in an extremely accurate and sympathetic way, whether itâ??s directed toward Hal himself or his dealings with others.

When Hal is kicked off the debate team he searches out Ginnyâ??s ex-boyfriend/debate partner Nicholas Dâ??Agosto (Ben Wekselbaum) to take on her and the rest of the schools in the competition. They work tirelessly to prepare their debate (including using â??The Battle Hymn of the Republicâ?? to thwart Halâ??s stutter) and just as it looks as though they might come out on top, they get disqualified. Nick accepts defeat but Hal ensures Ginny, â??today was not my dayâ?¦ but someday will be.â?? On his way home he stops at a pizzeria and stuttering aside, successfully asks for one and receives three for free, after which he throws his arms up in victory. It is similarly true in life that all victories, and often the most obvious ones will never be won. But some will. At the end of the film, Hal asks his father (Denis Oâ??Hare) whom we see only a glimpse of at the start of the film, â??Sometimes, I donâ??t know, I guess I just wonder when it all starts to make sense, you know?â?? His dad sums it up perfectly, reassuring his son that, â??there comes a point, you see, when you reach a certain age and youâ??re in Jersey, or someplace just like it, andâ?¦ you stop trying to figure it all out.â??