Title: Spontaneous
MPAA Rating: R
Director: Brian Duffield
Starring: Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Yvonne Orji
Runtime: 1 hr 41 mins

What It Is: When a student at her school spontaneously explodes teenager Mara (Langford) is obviously concerned. When it happens again…and again it’s starting to become an epidemic. At the same time, love is in the air for her as the young and handsome Dylan (Plummer) arrives and makes the skeptical Mara believe they’re meant to be. Now the two of them are just literally trying to not blow up randomly…and maybe fall in love and stuff. Based on a book by Aaron Starmer.

What We Think: This is one of the best surprises of 2020. From a witty and sharp script and a killer lead performance from the talented Katherine Langford, this is a film that is off the wall and out of its mind. There’s something to be said for a script going balls to the wall and throwing everything out there. Somewhat like another film I loved this year Dinner in America. All signs point to mania with this one. From the unabashed goreatorium and blood-soaked craziness to the subtle private moments, everything is fleshed out really well and character intent and decisions make sense. Director Brian Duffield (who adapted the Starmer novel) makes his debut here and you can sort of tell he’s a first-timer throwing whatever the hell he wants at the movie. Some of the second act gets a bit too heavy on exposition for the sake of it. Outside of that though Duffield’s pen lifts the film more so than his eye behind the camera.

Our Grade: C+, Not an elite level piece. It is such a fun time at the movies that praise being heaped on it is really worth it. If you’ve not gotten a chance to check this one out…do it. I can’t think of a film I had lower expectations going in that surpassed them as much as this one did. Katherine Langford had a really good 2020. See her Netflix show as well…it’s pretty good. This was the icing atop the cake here. This film does some really cool things with its interesting concept. Definitely something that easily could’ve gone awry especially as a debut.