Rocket Science (9 out of 10)

Well this was the first film I saw at the festival and I have to tell you I liked this movie a lot. It has that quirky tone that I enjoy being swept up in. A classic teenage angst feel good comedy. Sure, it rehashes the underdog formula that we have seen over and over again, but who gives a shit? Every story has already been told and now its all about how you tell it - and I like the way Jeffrey Blitz tells it. I also like the way he directed it. He makes maximum use of the camera with some stunningly simple and effective cinematography. He pulled very mature performances out of some very young actors and deserves a medal for that alone. He managed to create a bunch of watchable and believable Uber Quirks and throughout the film deftly walked a tightrope of exaggeration without going too far. I liked every performance. Especially Reese Thompson as "the kid". Extremely watchable and reminiscent of the young Jason Schwartzman in Rushmore. I was uplifted by the non-victory-victory at the end a'la Little Miss Sunshine and found this to be a very satisfying 98 minutes. Rocket Science is one of the little jewels that I always hope to discover at the Sundance Film Festival. - Brahman