What Goes Up (2009)

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

Director:

Jonathan Glatzer

Writers:

Jonathan Glatzer, Robert C. Lawson (as Robert Lawson)

Stars:

Steve Coogan, Hilary Duff, Olivia Thirlby

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Steve Coogan	...	Campbell Babbitt
Hilary Duff	...	Lucy Diamond
Olivia Thirlby	...	Tess Sullivan
Josh Peck	...	Jim Lement
Molly Shannon	...	Penelope Little
Molly Price	...	Donna Arbetter
Max Hoffman	...	Fenster Itski
Sarah Lind	...	Peggy Popoladopolous
Laura Carswell	...	Lute Lement (as Laura Konechny)
Ingrid Nilson	...	Ann
Andrea Brooks	...	Sue
Andrew Wheeler	...	Principal Person
Gabrielle Rose	...	Mrs. Bridigan
Colleen Rennison	...	Sylvia
Aubrey Mozino	...	Blythe

Storyline

What makes a hero? January, 1986. Campbell Babbitt is a reporter for the New York World, writing a series on a woman who turned the grief of losing a son into civic acts. He falls in love with her, and when she commits suicide, he continues to write made-up stories about her. His editor sends him to New Hampshire to cover the Challenger flight from the town of teacher Christa McAuliffe. The launch is postponed for a few days, giving Campbell time to get to know a group of misfit students whose own teacher killed himself the day Campbell arrives in town. He pieces the story together that led to the suicide, finds himself attracted to a student, and has to sort out his own loss.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | reporter | new hampshire | vomiting | braless teen | 

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Taglines:

A Different Class of Misfits

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug use, all involving teens

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film has been in production for many years. Originally Mandy Moore was cast as Lucy, Michelle Williams was cast as Tess and Peter Sarsgaard was cast as Campbell. Later, Steve Coogan was cast as Campbell and Amber Tamblyn was cast as Tess, Kelli Garner was cast as Peggy, Paul Dano was cast as Jim, Alison Pill was cast as Ann and the singer Nellie McKay was cast as Sue . In early 2008 all six dropped out and Amanda Seyfried was given the role of the character Peggy. She was then cast as Sophie in the film Mamma Mia! (2008) and dropped out of What Goes Up (2009) and was replaced by Sarah Lind. Hilary Duff and Olivia Thirlby were then cast in the roles of Lucy and Tess respectively. Josh Peck, Ingrid Nilson and Andrea Brooks were then cast in the roles of Jim, Ann and Sue respectively.

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Goofs

The Challenger disaster is shown happening on a Thursday. January 28, 1986 was a Tuesday.

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Quotes

Campbell Babbitt: Legends aren't born, they're written. And really that's what we all do, one way or another, when someone we love dies. And not just anyone, but someone extraordinary... Why not a hero? When they up and die, we're left with nothing. Nothing but the task to make them immortal. Only a magnificent epitaph will grant eternal life. And it's up to us, the ones left behind, to write it. However we see fit.

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Alternate Versions

The version released in theaters was 10 minutes shorter, had several scenes reordered and had a number of different music cues. This was the version preferred by the filmmakers. Sony Pictures was unable to release this version on DVD citing time constraints.

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Connections

References 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

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Soundtracks

Any Other Day
Written by Hilary Duff, Jonathan Glatzer, and Robert Lawson
Performed by Hilary Duff

User Reviews

Positive Reviews

There were a lot of very negative reviews of this film. Here are some of the positive ones you may have missed:

"A 2009 Sleeper. A complete original and definitely not your typical teen comedy. It's a darkly funny, wonderfully twisted story that marches 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 Glatzer handles his talented cast well, and the movie is dark, droll and sentimental in roughly the correct proportions."

• Andrew O'Hehir, Salon

"Glatzer and (co-writer) Lawson show a deep understanding of how common ideals can hold even a community of outsiders together. And it has a one-of-a-kind character in Coogan, a cynic with a savior complex, who lies partly out of convenience, and partly because he knows – as Glatzer 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 will definitely get more and more 'real' acting roles thanks to this. And Molly Shannon has rarely been more manic and hilarious… If you like your comedies pitch black… you will enjoy this dark little jewel."

• Alex Dorn, UGO.com

It's wonderful because it's so true to life. It's exactly what WHAT GOES UP strives to be – a funny movie about death, a sad movie about life… It works. Olivia Thirlby exceeds all expectations lending her performance 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 absolute blast to watch, thanks in part to smart performances from Coogan, Molly Shannon, and Hilary Duff in a role that might rub some of her loyal fans the wrong way. What Goes Up is about the lies we tell and the truths we keep hidden deep inside, a theme I'm sure most of us can relate to on one level or another. Thoroughly impressive stuff." – The Film Fiend

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 May 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Safety Glass

Filming Locations:

Langley, British Columbia, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$3,240, 31 May 2009

Gross USA:

$2,050

Company Credits

Production Co:

Nasser Entertainment Group, Insight Film Studios, Station 3

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min (cut) 115 min (dvd)

Color:

Color