What Goes Up (2009)

What Goes Up Poster

Set in the mid-80s, when a reporter is sent to cover the Challenger Space Shuttle launch only to become mixed up in the lives of some local students.

Overview
"What Goes Up" is a 2009 dramedy movie directed by Jonathan Glatzer. It's a story filled with intrigue, mystery, and unanticipated emotional digressions. Embed in the mid-1980s, the motion picture's premise revolves around the duration before the 1986 Challenger area shuttle catastrophe. The plot opens as a journalist named Campbell Babbitt (played by Steve Coogan) travels to Concord, New Hampshire, to write a story on Christa McAuliffe, the first civilian astronaut and a Concord local, ahead of the Challenger's launch.

Plot and Characters
Steve Coogan's character, Campbell, is an emotionally strained New York press reporter who is trying to cover an affair he had with his best friend's partner, who just recently devoted suicide. He is sent to New Hampshire to compose a short article about McAuliffe however instead ends up being embroiled with a group of high school misfits led by Lucy (played by Hilary Duff). This group of teens, who had a special connection with a precious teacher who died simply a week back, still grieves the loss.

Campbell gets in touch with the instructor's preferred trainees - Tess (Olivia Thirlby), Fenster (Josh Peck), and Jim Lement (Max Hoffman). As they all concern terms with their individual sadness and injuries, Campbell understands that the late teacher had a secret that he showed this group of mentally fragile teenagers. Unraveling this secret becomes the pivot of the story.

Themes
"What Goes Up" primarily handles the style of fact and its interpretations. The film handles how people often choose to see the world in a manner that matches them better, even when confronted with uncomfortable facts. To the town, the death of the teacher is a murder secret, however to the teens, it's a journey towards finding their preferred instructor's secret life.

The Challenger catastrophe looms in the background, matching the fundamental human tragedy unfolding within the characters' lives. The movie raises the question of how society deals with heroes and misfits alike, demonstrating that a person's fact can typically be various from popular belief.

Critical Reception
"What Goes Up" became an interesting entry into the 2009 cinematic landscape due to its uncommon mix of coming-of-age drama and ethical uncertainty. Critics have provided blended reviews on the film, with some applauding its aspiration to tackle numerous complicated styles and others criticizing its perceived failure to mix the elements into a cohesive and appealing story. Coogan's efficiency as Campbell Babbitt was generally well-received, as were the portrayals of the teen characters.

Conclusion
In general terms, "What Goes Up" is a touching expedition of human discrepancies and unanticipated friendships. With its honest representation of human feelings, the motion picture tries to raise profound life concerns versus a historic background. Although not without defects, this movie is thought-provoking, appealing, and deserving of being kept in mind for its special thematic shipment. Its complex characters evoke empathy and leave the audience questioning societal standards and how specific facts are frequently controlled.

Top Cast

  • Steve Coogan (small)
    Steve Coogan
    Campbell Babbitt
  • Hilary Duff (small)
    Hilary Duff
    Lucy Diamond
  • Olivia Thirlby (small)
    Olivia Thirlby
    Tess Sullivan
  • Josh Peck (small)
    Josh Peck
    Jim Lement
  • Molly Shannon (small)
    Molly Shannon
    Penelope Little
  • Brett Kelly (small)
    Brett Kelly
    Blastoff! Chorus
  • Molly Price (small)
    Molly Price
    Donna Arbetter
  • Max Hoffman (small)
    Max Hoffman
    Fenster Itski
  • Sarah Lind (small)
    Sarah Lind
    Peggy Popoladopolous
  • Laura Carswell
    Lute Lement
  • Ingrid Nilson (small)
    Ingrid Nilson
    Ann