Genres

Visitors Review

Henry V 2012-05-21 15:25:07

BORING SAVE YOUR MONEY

This movie was aweful - we walked out. No one else was in the theater and the story started out dull and got even worse. We left when they decided the girl in the wheel chair had to have sex. What a complete waist of time.....

mara buxbaum 2012-05-21 03:49:05

Enjoyable

I really thought this film was made with an honesty few teen centeredfilms usually possess. Intriguing performances and slightly surrealsituations make the film well worth the watch. Coogan is delightfullyflawed and the surrounding cast truly resonates. Although I wasprepared to be distracted by Hilary Duff, I thought she shined brightlyand held her own quite well. The truth is that most filmmakers whentackling tougher issues as ones presented in What Goes Up tend to talkdown and diminish their audience while the makers of this film seemundaunted by the regular Hollywood mission of going for cheap humor andglamorized sexuality. There is a gravity here that hangs like a thickcloud over this cast and I suspect this movie will be looked upon lateras having more layers than it would initially seem.

Marvin 2012-05-16 01:32:01

What Goes Up

My Opinion: I thought this movie was just flat out fantastic. Not because of the story plot or anything like that, but just because the characters were all very believable and even relatable. The movie itself is full of oddball humor, drama, sex and these little twist that will make the movie hard to follow if you don’t give it your entire attention. So I will say that it’s not a film to watch when having friends over, unless they can manage to be quiet for an hour and 47 minutes. The movie is incredible and easily enjoyable, meaning you don’t have to force yourself to like it just because it has an actor or actress you really like in it. An altogether great movie, but there is one moment where the graphics lacked, but just one12 second scene shouldn’t deter you from watching this movie. Now the reason I was so drawn into the movie was the characters, but the characters wouldn’t exist without the help of the wonderful thespians on set for this movie. Steve Coogan is, of course, a comic wonder and an amazing actor to boot, but the real star power are the kids. I think they were all awesome in their roles, but I have a few favorites: Sarah Lind as the wheelchair-bound, Peggy Popoladopolous who was crippled when she got hit by a “Yum-Yum Chicken” truck. This also lead to her getting rich from the lawsuit and is the reason she has been put in with all the other “rejects” in the Shed, because “The Shed” is handicapped accessible. Another of My favorites are: Jim and Lute Lement. One, Jim, is a pervert turned hero and the other, Lute, is a mousy girl who worst crime is shoplifting and who almost stole my affection away from Peggy. Jim is played by the wonderful Josh Peck and Lute is played by the beautiful Laura Konechny. Sarah Lend may be my favorite actress for this movie, but even I have to say that Olivia Thirlby gives the best performance in the entire film. Her character believes that she killed her teacher and carries the mass amounts of grief on her shoulders,. Her portrayal as a possible rape victim is just wonderful and you will cheer for her throughout the movie, seeing as her character, Tess Sullivan, is the only one who can match wits with Cambell Babbit, played awesomely by Steve Coogan. There are also a few other characters’ that only made the movie more enjoyable: Max Hoffman as the goofy and likeable Fenster Itzky, The “Twins-y” type Sue and Ann played by Ingrid Nilson and Andrea Brooks respectively and Hilary Duff gave a good performance as the secrete “crush” of the dead teacher Sam, Lucy Diamond. My favorite scene of the movie is when Mrs. Itzky walks in on Fenster and Peggy. It is a fantastic movie and should be enjoyed by everyone, lots of laughs.

crtarrant 2012-05-15 09:12:58

Why did no-one tell me about this movie?

I hadn't heard of this movie before I watched it but it turned out tobe one of the best movies I've seen in the last few years. I can'tbelieve no-one has told me about it. Sure, it's not neat and polished (messy as the critics have it) but that's part of its appeal. Its fresh,off-beat, raw, dark, warm and full of heart and insight. The acting isterrific and touching throughout, particularly Steve Coogan and HilaryDuff. You really feel these people are lost and falling apart, lookingfor someone or something to grab hold of. And you never know where thefilm is going to take you. I found it enthralling and rewarding and thesoundtrack is excellent too. Its one of those films you want tochampion - so I did.

wacoastguy 2012-05-13 19:04:59

What Goes Up is a great movie

I really enjoyed What Goes Up so much more than I ever expected. Thisis one of the most original and daring movies I have seen in some time.I would never have imagined a drama which uses the Challenger shuttledisaster in 1986 as a backdrop, but it worked, plain and simple. Keepin mind this movie is not for everyone and definitely falls into theindie and art movie categories. For this reason many will be turned offby this flick based on their own lack of imagination. Those luckyenough to accept creativity and ingenuity will relish this movie. Inother words, if you like movies such as Igby Goes Down or Ghost Worldor even Darjeeling Limited, you will like What Goes Up.

jotix100 2012-05-13 09:07:22

What goes up.... must come down

The comment that is top rated among the entries submitted about thisfilm seems to indicate that the creators, and/or the publicist, wantedto create a hype to sell the movie. This is the same tactic that isused in most media ads, in which a phrase, or two, will make the viewerrun to see the picture. At the same time, an indie like "What Goes Up"needs to be enjoyed for what it is, not because that someone decided totell us to like the picture. This is manipulation of the first order.Jonathan Glatzer and his co-writer, Robert Lawson, were obviously a bitpressed for time, or perhaps a tight budget to make this dramaticcomedy a winner. Part of the problem seems to be Steve Coogan'sCampbell Babbitt who is a cynic, a liar, and a character that is notlikable; he shows no redeeming qualities whatsoever until theconclusion of the story. Then, there is Hillary Duff totally miscast asLucy Diamond, a mixed up young woman who doesn't know what she wants.On the other hand, the excellent Olivia Thirlby, one of the mostversatile actresses working today, has better luck with her Tess. Sheis appealing as the young woman facing a difficult time. It is adeparture from some of the sunnier parts she has been asked to playbefore. Molly Shannon has some good moments as the music teacher tryingto put on a show to honor astronaut Christa McAuliffe, who died in thetragic explosion of the Space Shuttle Explorer.Our own recommendation is to watch "What Goes Up" on its own merits.Just relax and be objective.

RD Robb 2012-05-11 01:17:15

Positive Reviews

There were a lot of very negative reviews of this film. Here are someof the positive ones you may have missed:"A 2009 Sleeper. A complete original and definitely not your typicalteen comedy. It's a darkly funny, wonderfully twisted story thatmarches to its own surprising beat. The entire cast is superb!"- Pete Hammond, Hollywood.com"A wonderful little film!"- Jeffery Lyons, NBC"A nifty little tragicomedy. Director and co-writer Jonathan Glatzerhandles his talented cast well, and the movie is dark, droll andsentimental in roughly the correct proportions."- Andrew O'Hehir, Salon"Glatzer and (co-writer) Lawson show a deep understanding of how commonideals can hold even a community of outsiders together. And it has aone-of-a-kind character in Coogan, a cynic with a savior complex, wholies partly out of convenience, and partly because he knows – asGlatzer and Lawson know – that even a messy story can still inspire."- Noel Murray, The AV Club / The Onion"The wit is sharp and the performances are amazing. Hilary Duff willdefinitely get more and more 'real' acting roles thanks to this. AndMolly Shannon has rarely been more manic and hilarious… If you likeyour comedies pitch black… you will enjoy this dark little jewel."- Alex Dorn, UGO.comIt's wonderful because it's so true to life. It's exactly what WHATGOES UP strives to be – a funny movie about death, a sad movie aboutlife… It works. Olivia Thirlby exceeds all expectations lending herperformance a gutsy rawness…"- Kate Erbland, Gordon and the Whale"The performances were incredible. I was blown away by them."- Ted Ott, Real Talk LA"The film is touching, truthful, and, more importantly, an absoluteblast to watch, thanks in part to smart performances from Coogan, MollyShannon, and Hilary Duff in a role that might rub some of her loyalfans the wrong way. What Goes Up is about the lies we tell and thetruths we keep hidden deep inside, a theme I'm sure most of us canrelate to on one level or another. Thoroughly impressive stuff." – TheFilm Fiend

2012-05-10 16:51:09

'We don't need another hero'

'WHAT GOES UP must come down' and that seems to be one way of looking at this funky little film written by Robert Lawson and writer/director Jonathan Glatzer. Given Steve Coogan's comedic talents it is able to rise above an implausible script and come close to be entertaining. The time frame is January 1986 and Campbell Babbitt (the last name is well chosen as a reference to Sinclair Lewis' novel 'Babbitt' - a satire of American culture, society, and behavior, it critiques the vacuity of middle-class American life and its pressure on individuals toward conformity) played by Steve Coogan is a reporter for New York World, writing a series about a woman who became a 'hero' by turning the anguish of seeing her son murdered in to acts of civil service (the woman whom Babbitt has grown to love commits suicide, and out of cherishing her memory he continues to write stories as though she were still alive - an act that Babbitt's editor Donna (Molly Price) finds ridiculous and sends Babbitt of to New Hampshire to cool off and to over the upcoming Space Shuttle Challenger).Babbitt arrives in a little town in new Hampshire (the town is preparing to celebrate the Shutttle launch as Christa McAuliffe was raised there) to discover that his old friend Sam who was planning to become a priest but opted for teaching had a class of 'problem kids' who adored him. Babbitt discovers Sam's body in the street. The class of odd kids mourn Sam's passing: he was their hero. What Babbitt discovers is a group of kids each of whom is challenged with a problem and is trying to find ways to overcome those problems: Lucy Diamond - a reference to the Beatles song - (Hillary Duff) was in love with Sam; Tess Sulivan (Olivia Thirlby) claims she saw Lucy and Sam in an intimate moment, suggesting that Sam's act resulted in his jumping off his roof in suicide (Tess has private problems at home that lead to an unwanted pregnancy); Jim (Josh Peck) is the guardian of the coffin and funeral and 'burial' of Sam; Peggy (Sarah Lind) is a paraplegic who talks Fenster (Max Hoffman, son of Dustin Hoffman) into being her first sexual encounter; Ann (Ingrid Nilson) and her 'twin' Sue (Andrea Brooks) provide comic relief in their bizarre antics; Lute (Laura Carswell) is the dissatisfied choral assistant to the weirdo-choir director and pageant designer Penelope Little (Molly Shannon).In the midst of this strange crew and situation Babbitt as a reporter tries to sort every thing out, falls for Lucy, and is awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his woe begotten story in New York. His influence helps the kids sort out their priorities and leads Babbitt to find a way out of his own unwanted heroism. The story ends before we know the result of the Challenger explosion - and the creation of a real hero in Christa McAuliffe. But there really isn't a beginning or an end to a story in the ordinary sense of a film. WHAT GOES UP merely puts before the viewer the lives of some odd people and lets us watch how they cope. It has a bit of comedy, though dark, and a lot of tender moments that don't come into focus until movies end. For many this film will perplex: for others it will satisfy. It is an offbeat tale with a lot of innuendoes. Grady Harp, October 10

2012-05-07 12:03:48

Excellent film...Hilary Duff is the greatest!

What Goes Up is a film that far exceeded my expectations for any new upcoming Hilary Duff films. She beautifully plays a character that seems to be searching for something to fill a gap that has been placed in her life by the death of someone she and her friends loved and worshipped. This movie seems to leave the Hollywood mold behind (very thankfully!) and shows us just how realistic life is, and how it's not perfect at all like most movies would try to make it seem. The other actors are fantastic as well, especially Olivia Thirlby and Steve Coogan. This movie is highly recommended and I really loved it. Very fantastic film for our times.

AbelParish 2012-05-07 04:37:45

What an unusual and terrific film!

I was really struck by this film. I won't rehash the plot as that hasbeen done on numerous posts. But I would like to address the bafflinglylow rating. I admit, under normal circumstances, I'd give the film an 8because it does suffer from inconsistencies, but thought I should do mypart to up the number. I'd hate for people who might completely groovewith the film's strange rhythms to be dissuaded. Thanks to the guy whoput up all those great quotes from the few critics who dug the movie.It's simply a movie that not everyone's going to love -- but somedefinitely will. Some say this film tried too hard. I really disagree.It concentrates on the human emotions between the characters and itdoes this very well, with humor and without straying into melodrama.Does it crowd in a whole bunch of other details like teen pregnancy andthe Challenger shuttle and even shoplifting? You bet. But itdeliberately lets those topics exist on their own. They are welltrodden topics which we've all seen before and the movie lets themresonate without a whole lot of effort - so it is kind of the oppositeof trying too hard. The film sets a mood, it doesn't tell a sweepingstory. It fools you into thinking it's ripping off Juno - but it's sodifferent and far better. I think if your a fan of Godard who liked tobreak up the calcified traditions of storytelling, you will dig WhatGoes Up.

gradyharp 2012-05-02 08:50:31

'We don't need another hero'

'WHAT GOES UP must come down' and that seems to be one way of lookingat this funky little film written by Robert Lawson and writer/directorJonathan Glatzer. Given Steve Coogan's comedic talents it is able torise above an implausible script and come close to be entertaining. The time frame is January 1986 and Campbell Babbitt (the last name iswell chosen as a reference to Sinclair Lewis' novel 'Babbitt' - asatire of American culture, society, and behavior, it critiques thevacuity of middle-class American life and its pressure on individualstoward conformity) played by Steve Coogan is a reporter for New YorkWorld, writing a series about a woman who became a 'hero' by turningthe anguish of seeing her son murdered in to acts of civil service (thewoman whom Babbitt has grown to love commits suicide, and out ofcherishing her memory he continues to write stories as though she werestill alive - an act that Babbitt's editor Donna (Molly Price) findsridiculous and sends Babbitt of to New Hampshire to cool off and toover the upcoming Space Shuttle Challenger). Babbitt arrives in a little town in new Hampshire (the town ispreparing to celebrate the Shutttle launch as Christa McAuliffe wasraised there) to discover that his old friend Sam who was planning tobecome a priest but opted for teaching had a class of 'problem kids'who adored him. Babbitt discovers Sam's body in the street. The classof odd kids mourn Sam's passing: he was their hero. What Babbittdiscovers is a group of kids each of whom is challenged with a problemand is trying to find ways to overcome those problems: Lucy Diamond - areference to the Beatles song - (Hillary Duff) was in love with Sam;Tess Sulivan (Olivia Thirlby) claims she saw Lucy and Sam in anintimate moment, suggesting that Sam's act resulted in his jumping offhis roof in suicide (Tess has private problems at home that lead to anunwanted pregnancy); Jim (Josh Peck) is the guardian of the coffin andfuneral and 'burial' of Sam; Peggy (Sarah Lind) is a paraplegic whotalks Fenster (Max Hoffman, son of Dustin Hoffman) into being her firstsexual encounter; Ann (Ingrid Nilson) and her 'twin' Sue (AndreaBrooks) provide comic relief in their bizarre antics; Lute (LauraCarswell) is the dissatisfied choral assistant to the weirdo-choirdirector and pageant designer Penelope Little (Molly Shannon). In the midst of this strange crew and situation Babbitt as a reportertries to sort every thing out, falls for Lucy, and is awarded thePulitzer Prize for his woe begotten story in New York. His influencehelps the kids sort out their priorities and leads Babbitt to find away out of his own unwanted heroism. The story ends before we know theresult of the Challenger explosion - and the creation of a real hero inChrista McAuliffe. But there really isn't a beginning or an end to astory in the ordinary sense of a film. WHAT GOES UP merely puts beforethe viewer the lives of some odd people and lets us watch how theycope. It has a bit of comedy, though dark, and a lot of tender momentsthat don't come into focus until movies end. For many this film willperplex: for others it will satisfy. It is an offbeat tale with a lotof innuendoes. Grady Harp

2012-05-01 11:12:26

Brilliantly different

This review is from: What Goes Up (DVD) I was fortunate to see this film at the Los Angeles premiere, and I thought it was outstanding. The characters here are real, and that means unglamorous. But isn't that what real life is? Steve Coogan does a spot-on job as Campbell Babbitt, a departure from the roles we've come to expect from him. But a more dramatic turn suits him well. Hilary Duff, Olivia Thirlby and Josh Peck were excellent, bringing their flawed characters to life in a very real and believable way. For me, some of the supporting cast members particularly stood out, especially Max Hoffman (Dustin's son) as Fenster and "twins" Ingrid Nilson and Andrea Brooks. These are real people. Nilson especially was just dynamite, and I found myself wishing that there would have been time to explore these characters a bit deeper. I think the writers did a fine job with this story and the concept of what makes a hero or maybe whether all of our heroes really aren't heroic after all. There were a few places that could have been tighter, but this film was never meant to be perfect, and for that I am glad. Kudos to Jonathan Glatzer on a uniquely different film. I love it.

dj-371 2012-05-01 11:16:53

Such a great film, so why the low rating?

My title says it all. I was attracted to the film by the incredibly lowrating, so I decided to see just how bad it was. It wasn't bad at all.If anything, it was brilliant. Sure the plot had some minor holes andthe story had many different things happening at one time, buteverything is necessary and is blended together very well. Some scenesand characters may have been pointless, but there was no harm in addingthem to the film. The plot could have been improved slightly, but theoverall story was superb and genius. It goes against all the othertypical films and is so realistic to today's world. People alwayscomplain that films are running out of ideas and everything's the same;well this film delivers something different and it gets bashed. I justdon't understand it. Stve Coogan's acting was brilliant and verycomedic, Olivia Thirlby was brilliant and Josh Peck delivered hisscenes really well. There is one particular actress I would love tohave the pleasure of watching again, because she was amazing. HilaryDuff is constantly described as a terrible, fake actress, butseriously, she was the best of them all. She delivered her linesbrilliantly and showed such brilliant emotion. She has such promise asan actress and I can't wait to see her other roles. I'm surprised atall the negativity surrounding her acting abilities, because she reallydelivered here. It's a shame that this film didn't receive the praisethat it deserved. The film could and should have done really well andmade it to many screens. I just fail to understand all the negativereviews. It was truly amazing and is something I will watch over andover again.

2012-04-30 22:33:35

Surprised and Grateful

At first, I wasn't sure where it was going... Up, down or just sideways. But soon, I realized the filmmakers were creating a world that resembled reality far more than almost any movie I've seen in that there are collisions between events, intentions, characters, loves, hates ...and the whole stew can be hysterically funny, odd, disturbing, heartbreaking and then funny all over again. In this way, I have to give the film enormous credit and gratitude that it does not try to be like every other movie. It does not talk down to its audience. It takes place in 1986 in the days before the Challenger Shuttle blew up, but the themes of heroism and unexpected tragedy play out in subtle and clever ways. I think the critics who didn't like this movie are used to following very well paved roads with well defined markers. This movie follows its characters first to last and that can make it bumpy and twisty and ultimately, so much better. And because the characters are so three dimensional, the markers which we expect only come if the characters lead us there. They do in the end. The director lands us where we need to be. But along the way, we are on ground which is just as unsettled as the characters who turn to ridiculous methods to lessen the pain of losing someone they loved in their lives. If you're willing to walk this unsettled ground, it's well worth the ride. The performances are outstanding, especially Steve Coogan and Olivia Thirlby. If, on the other hand, you need to be spoon-fed or for your plots to be singular and instantly identifiable, you will probably hate it. You kind of have to give in to it and then the doors open and the characters and the overall tone of the film resonates. It WILL make you laugh and cry. I saw this at a promotional screening. It was mostly filled with Hilary Duff fans. I am not one, but am much more so now. She does wonderfully well as the Lolita wannabe seductress. Again, the character is so finely drawn that some might think since she's not a successful seducer, the character and the movie leave you hanging. It's really the opposite. It's her lack of success which makes her character so compelling. In many ways you can say the same about the movie as a whole. It plays its own game according to the rules which govern human behavior, not conventional plot points. This results in an awkwardness which is much more real and much more satisfying than just about anything I've seen in some time. I highly recommend.

dbborroughs 2012-04-24 04:06:30

The cast is good, the movie is quirky. You'll either love it or hate it. I didn't much care for it

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

jools_69 2012-04-24 01:16:16

A great drama, recommended

I thought it was the British who did Social Realism, but this filmshows that Hollywood 'gets' it too. Steve Coogan is sturdy and theother actors also very believable.I can see why some people just wont 'get' this film at all, why somewill wish to be offended by the side story of Challenger, nothing I cansay will help you see the parallel yet opposite story that runs throughthe piece.I don't often go for this genre of American drama (sorry, but Igenerally prefer European drama), but I do like Steve Coogan so thoughtI would give this film a go. Within 10 minutes I was hooked andembroiled into this little world that is so different and at timesuncomfortable.I gave an 8, it would have been 9 but I was a bit confused by thenewspaper cuttings Campbell Babbitt took from the pin board in Sam'sflat, they were important to the story but flashed past too quickly forme to understand the relevance. I look forward to seeing it again toclear this up.

Tony Macklin 2012-04-19 20:44:29

Review of What Goes Up

Usually I'm the naysayer, going against the preposterous flackery ofsuch venal arbiters as Pete Hammond and Rex Reed.But I find myself giving faint praise to a movie that 20 out of 20reviewers on Rottentomatoes rated "rotten." I kind of liked What GoesUp.What Goes Up is an earnest morality tale. It's very uneven, but it alsoseems sincere. Sincerity is not enough for a positive rating, but ithelps.Read the complete review: http://tonymacklin.net/content.php?cID=237Tony Macklin http://tonymacklin.net

Anas Abu Hawili 2012-04-19 13:16:01

What Goes Up.....Will Keep Going Up

What a great movie. I think maybe the best movie of the year. Greatstory, great characters. It is very realistic and shows how life reallyis and how the American society really faces lots of problems.Hilaryduff & Steve Coogan and Olivia & Josh were all so awesome! EspeciallyHilary Duff that greatly played her role and showed a lot of passionand maturity! U Rock Hilary Duff! Although the movie gets u a bitconfused at the beginning ull understand everything at the end wereeverything falls into place and it all makes sense! Really Highlyrecommended and a must watch cause it really presents and image aboutlife! Go Hilary Duff, Steve Coogan, Olivia, and Josh!!!!!

Xcstacy 2012-04-16 19:29:12

"Every Action has a Reaction"

Great introduction to movies by Jonathan Glatzer, this movie told us astory that is unique and bizarre about a small town teacher who hasrecently died and those around him that was affected. As one of thestudents quotes every Action has a Reaction and that is what drivesthis movie forward.Olivia Thirbly and Josh Peck give us what we have come to expect fromthese young rising stars, Steve Coogan and Molly Shannon did notdisappoint on most accounts, however I feel as though Hilary Duff needsto attune herself more proper to these roles. She is making the rightsteps into a direction out of Disney and I feel this will be anexperience that will help her develop her acting talents for futureroles.The premise of this movie is very interesting, it revolves around thedeath of Sam Calallucci a teacher of misfit students who all felt very"in love" with him because he allowed them to be themselves. This makesme wonder why they decided to change the title of the movie from"Safety Glass" to "What Goes Up" I think the latter had more commercialappeal but the first title seemed to bring out more emotion. This was avery character driven movie however some should have been touched upona bit more such as Josh's character but a movie can only be so longbefore boring its audience.All in all I enjoyed this movie, it did have some weak links in actingand minor problems in its story which could have been written tighterif that wasn't what was the aim then some things should be left forinterpretation in a more fashionable way.8/10~XTC

jaredmobarak 2012-04-16 14:25:58

He was choking on Mars … What Goes Up

Writers Robert Lawson and Jonathan Glatzer, (who also directed), werein attendance to introduce their work and explain their hope to getaudiences thinking about what it means to be a hero. Describing it asan example of tumultuousness and devastation breeding comedy, it isinteresting to learn that we never see the space shuttle explode. Thetragedy at hand is instead the suicide of a beloved teacher, one whomay or may not have been having too close of a relationship with hisstudents, and how the group of misfits he brought together and gavehope to for the future deal with it. Throw in Steve Coogan'sjournalist, in town to report a space related puff piece, who had alsobeen a college friend to the deceased, and you get a story that delvesinto some dark places, brings some genuine laughs mixed in with plentyof awkward ones, and asks some good questions. The whole definitelydoesn't add up to a success, but some of the parts do resonate.In the film, both of Steve Coogan and Hilary Duff are playing somewhatagainst the norm, and not necessarily to good effect. Duff is not agreat actress to begin with, and here she is asked to handle some veryhard subject matter as a girl who was in love with her teacher thatjust killed himself. She sees Coogan's arrival as a way to fill thevoid, seducing him with her juvenile wiles while playing a troubledyoung girl, but trying too hard at times. As for Coogan, I'm not sureif he is cut out for serious fare. He is dealing with his own tragedyand professional lie, a falsified series of articles that could ruinhis career if discovered during their Pulitzer Prize nomination. Whenhe is utilizing sarcasm and his inherent goofiness, you do believe inhis character, however, the filmmakers ask him to be completely seriousat times, in close up no less, and unfortunately he doesn't look pullit off.In true indie film fashion, What Goes Up contains a bit more quirkinessthan needed. I enjoyed the creepy girls the first couple times onscreen, before they just got … creepy; Molly Shannon's odd teacher,composer of "Blast Off" the musical, (wow is the song from thisperformance so intentionally head-shaking bad that you have to laugh),is very weird, and supposedly girlfriend to the dead teacher—a factglossed over after a very brief mention; the theft by the children oftheir teacher's body and coffin is unbelievable; and what's with Coogansetting up toy figures to mimic the people he has met during his visit?A couple aspects to the script really do work, though, but you may missthem due to all the filler thrown your way. Just pay attention to thescenes pertaining to Josh Peck and Olivia Thirlby as they shinethroughout and make me want to watch them in The Wackness even morenow.Peck plays Jim, one of the students affected by the death, one who hadbeen given direction by his "almost-priest" teacher. He looked up toand listened to the man only to find that he killed himself. Whensomething like that occurs you can't help but question the validity ofwhat you had been told. Peck becomes jealous and angry towards Cooganfor coming into town and basically moving into his idol's shoes as heis viewed as a replacement, even becoming the object of affection fromDuff's Lucy, the girl who loved him. Peck's hero is proved to befallible and only when he himself prevails in a situation that couldhave resulted in the death of a baby, is he able to let go of thememory. As for Thirlby, she is absolutely fantastic. An abused child,assumed to be carrying her uncle's offspring in her stomach, Thirlby'sTess has experienced pain firsthand and sees Coogan as someone justlooking to prey on her friends' emotions. Her life has built paranoiaand a need to be the hero in her mind, going so far as to lie aboutsomething that she knows isn't true, but possibly could eventuallybecome so, like the relationship between a teacher and student. Hermonologue at the end, explaining her motivations throughout the film toCoogan, is a powerhouse moment, made all the more impressive by seeingCoogan's odd expressions in reaction shots. Thirlby acts him under thetable.But Coogan's Campbell Babbitt has his own moments as well, a hero inhis own rite after writing inspirational articles in the paper abouthis subject and eventual love "Angela" and her selfless work done tohonor her slain son. To add one more instance of moral ambiguity to afilm ripe with pedophilia, teen sex—including that with a paraplegicgirl, shoplifting, and misguided anger on behalf of many, Coogan findshimself caught in a scandal still hidden as "Angela" killed herselfafter the first story he wrote. His love for her too much, he continuedher story with lies, lies that helped people and brought happiness tomany. So, as a school teacher is about to go into space as a hero,eventually to keep that title once her shuttle disaster never allowsher to get there, in the backdrop, we see adults and childrenexperiencing the many different definitions of that term—hero.Sometimes that label means making a hard choice, lying and deceivingfor the greater good. If What Goes Up gets anything right, it is thisfact: that heroes are who we make them, subjective and often privy todebate. If the film focused more on this theme, leaving much of theprecious quirk so abundantly prevalent on the cutting room floor, itmight have been something I could have recommended more. Maybe the playon which it is based gets it done more successfully; as a film, though,it's more uncomfortable than thought provoking.