The Exploding Girl (2009)

On a summer break from college, a young epileptic woman struggles to balance her feelings for her fledgling boyfriend while her friend Al crashes with her for the season.

Director:

Bradley Rust Gray

Writer:

Bradley Rust Gray

Stars:

Zoe Kazan, Mark Rendall, Maryann Urbano

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Zoe Kazan	...	Ivy
Mark Rendall	...	Al
Maryann Urbano	...	Mom
Hunter Canning	...	Cary
Margot Ruth Tenenbaum	...	Cousin
Genevieve T. Eisner	...	Baby
Nichael Alexander Eisner	...	Cousin's Husband (as Michael Alexander Eisner)
Caseyarnoux Charlot	...	Doctor
Franklin Pipp	...	Greg
Kay Goldberg	...	Jennifer
Buddy Love	...	Three-Legged Dog
Caroline Elaine	...	Dog Owner
Steve Arriaga	...	Dance Student (as Steve Arriaga)
Belinda Atchinson	...	Dance Student
Jordan Scovel	...	Dance Student (as Jordan Boughrum)

Storyline

On a summer break from college, a young epileptic woman struggles to balance her feelings for her fledgling boyfriend while her friend Al crashes with her for the season.

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Plot Keywords:

looking at oneself in a mirror | friend | low budget film | ring | stoned | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title of the film is a play on a song (The Exploding Boy) which was on the b-side of the single "In Between Days" by The Cure. "In Between Days" had been used by the director and his wife as a title to a previous movie and so they decided to adapt "The Exploding Boy" to The Exploding Girl for the purpose of this film (as explained by the director himself on 14th Nov 2009 at the 50th International Film Festival of Thessaloníki, Greece).

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Connections

References Zoo (2007)

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Soundtracks

Ladies of the New Century
Performed by Múm
Written by Örvar Smárason & Gunnar Örn Tynes
Courtesy of Dark Side of the Múm

User Reviews

Sincere and quietly beautiful

Zoe Kazan's performance in The Exploding Girl was nuanced and heartfelt, but unfortunately diluted by her extensive screen time. The film spent ENTIRELY too much time lingering on Ivy staring contemplatively into the distance (an indulgence that plagues many indie films). For me, this was the only major flaw, and I felt that the movie overcame it. The cinematography was otherwise really beautiful, looking at the world in ways we don't usually think to look at it. The characters were real people, if not fully developed. They provided an honest look into the lives of modern young adults, whose relationships are sustained but also often trivialized by technology, like Ivy's ever-present cell phone.

This film is subtle, sincere and complex, and I'd recommend it if you're willing to sit through slow-moving scenes and lengthy shots of self-consciously thoughtful Ivy. If nothing else, the last minute of the film is a miraculous moment that absolves all its prior sins.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 May 2010 (Germany)

Also Known As:

La chica explosiva

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,910, 14 March 2010

Gross USA:

$25,572

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,572

Company Credits

Production Co:

Soandbrad, Parts and Labor, MBS Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Color:

Color