Review of The Exploding Girl (2010) by A.j. S — 21 Jun 2010

An atmospherically entrancing document that follows young love into the depths of confusion, desperation, and rebirth as it is witnessed by a common, but altogether unique character. One could not be blamed for going into this film with low expectations, as everyone has seen the college-girl-looking-for or trying-to-retain-love movie, but â??The Exploding Girlâ?? executes the cliché in such an articulate and drawn out matter that it is difficult to not be caught up in the drama.

The camera lingers on the amazingly simplistic Zoe Kazanâ??s face, so that the audience can feel her sorrow and longing for something more in her dead end relationship. By following a twenty-something woman in college, the film has difficulty in breaking away from its leadâ??s constraining and limited desires.

This remains the only downfall of the film, because at the conclusion it does feel as if there were no point to what was just witnessed. Yet, everything feels so real at some points that the film plays off as any audience memberâ??s personal diary.

This is balanced with extreme close-ups and full shots that brings the action in only to take it out again, but in the most intimate way imaginable. The outside world imposing on Kazanâ??s is a wonderful experience as its affects can be seen clearly on the protagonistâ??s face and body.

Every twitch, scrunch, or flicker of the eye fails to escape Bradley Rust Grayâ??s camera and that, along with the verisimilitude of his film, is enough to forgive any mistakes seen in the story or its plot.