What Goes Up (2009)

What Goes Up feels special because it treats a famous moment in American history less like a headline and more like a fuse—quietly burning toward the messy, human aftermath in a small community. Set in the mid-80s, it plays like a darkly funny indie drama with an honest streak, letting awkward conversations and uneasy silences do as much work as any big plot turn. The performances are the hook: intriguing, lived-in, and willing to show people at their most contradictory, which gives the film a strange, memorable intimacy. It won’t be for everyone—its tone can be bleak and its approach is more offbeat than conventional—but if you like original character pieces that take risks and linger in your mind, it’s worth the watch.

What Goes Up wants to be a coming-of-age drama with a bittersweet mid-80s backdrop, using the Challenger launch as an emotional pressure point while a jaded reporter gets pulled into a group of students’ lives. The problem is it often feels like it’s winging it: the plotting can be contrived, the tone swings without warning, and the story doesn’t build toward anything with real clarity or weight. Even with a capable cast and a few moments that hint at sharper character work, the low-rent production and lazy screenplay keep undercutting any impact. If you like messy, offbeat indie dramas and don’t mind confusion in exchange for vibe, you might tolerate it; if you want a focused, meaningful drama that earns its emotions, this probably isn’t worth your time.