Movie Review: What Goes Up

What Goes Up

Directed by: Jonathan Glatzer

Starring: Steve Coogan, Hilary Duff, Josh Peck, Olivia Thirlby, & Molly Shannon

Release Date: May 29, 2009

In this decade, we’ve come across many high school comedies whether it is the sassy Mean Girls, the dark Juno, or the promiscuous John Tucker Must Die. Near the end of the same decade we’ve come across a comedy that combines the features of all three of these and goes “up” and beyond in addressing a serious issue using a comedic approach. If this were to be the last high school comedy of this decade, What Goes Up definitely ended the new millennium with a bang.

A few weeks ago I was given the opportunity to attend the VIP Premiere of What Goes Up, a dark comedy dubbed by the producers a story of a “different class of misfits”. Going into this film, I had no idea what to expect and thus created no expectations. I didn’t know much about the cast in the film except Josh Peck (Drake & Josh, The Wackness) , and Hilary Duff (Lizzie McGuire, War Inc.), the latter being the only reason I had interest in the film. From little summaries, I knew it had to do with the fail of the challenger but being born in the 90s, I wasn’t very familiar with the base of the story and thus I went in with a fresh and open mind to the film.

The film revolves around a journalist played by Steve Coogan (Night at the Museum) who is sent to cover the death of a hero in this forsaken town. Upon arriving in this town he realizes the death of the hero isn’t the only news worthy tale in that town, but also the death of a high school teacher who he knew in his college years. Little did he know that teacher played a crucial role in the lives of his students (also know as the “misfits”). Imagine putting a burnout, a rebel, a seductress, a jock, and a cripple all in one classroom. In a normal situation, this would be complete chaos. In the case of these students, this teacher brought them together and taught them how to appreciate each other for who they are, not how they choose to live (a principle that still isn’t clear in today’s world).

As a result, Coogan shifts his story on the lives of these students. The cast playing the students contain some pretty big names: Hilary Duff plays the schools “queen bee”, a beautiful girl who is ‘popular” but like all popular subjects in high school she has a deep and emotional past. Josh Peck plays a disturbed student who is looking for a bit of recognition and Olivia Thirlby plays the dark rebel who like all rebels has a dark past and a reason, per say to rebel. Other cast members include Max Hoffman (son of Dustin Hoffman) and Molly Shannon (Saturday Night Live). Coogan’s exploration and view in to the lives of these students draws him way over his head and by the end of it, he learns the true meaning of a “hero”.

After watching the film, I was left on the edge of my seat with my heart on my sleeve. The movie was one of the very few, if not the only one that brought many emotions out by the end. It is rare to see a film that is comedy to have that effect on someone. Normally when a film has many cast members and many underlying stories going on, it loses its focus and leaves the viewer lost in translation. Although this movie has so many characters with so many complex stories, each one of them was fully developed and left the movie with a solid and “complete” feeling. The film was deep, it was emotional, it had humour, and it had drama. Unlike other comedies like Mean Girls and John Tucker Must Die, this high school film addressed a very serious issue and still managed to come out on top.

The performance of every cast member was brilliant; Steve Coogan’s timing was perfect; Hilary Duff’s transformation from the innocent “Lizzie McGuire” to the sultry Lucy in this film was not only amusing to see, but superbly carried out. Like Hilary Duff, seeing Josh Peck go from his dopey comedy role as “Josh” in Drake and Josh to a disturbed student in What Goes Up was incredible. His acting was superb and really touching. Saving the best for last, Olivia Thirlby gave what I thought was the best performance in the film as the troubled rebel of the film; I definitely gained a lot of respect for her and definitely think she is a face to watch out for.

Being Jonathan Glatzer’s first film, it is marvellous and one I would recommend everyone to watch. All it requires is attention from beginning to end so one doesn’t get confused. Other reviews might give it a negative review, but if you sit down and understand the film, I promise that it will not disappoint.

What Goes Up, definitely goes up and stays up as well.