Review of Rocket Science (2007) by Robert H — 18 Jan 2009

There's not many movies that feature the noble pastime of debating. This is one of those rare ones. It's also a teen movie about a boy who stutters and struggles to cope / grow up with his impediment. He is seduced by a debatress who tries to recruit him into a debating squad.

The story is much more twisty, turny and unpredictable than most teen movies. The characters are also much more watchable and less stereotypical.

At the same time, the film doesn't quite deliver. There are funny moments, and dramatic ones, and glorious ones. But the mixture doesn't quite work, and the unpredictable plot has a tendency to undermine the very emotions that it squeezes out of the audience.

On the whole, I'd say it's definitely worth watching, but I'm not sure it's as great as it thinks it is. Still more interesting than Napoleon Dynamite, though.