Spontaneous is a rom-com – in a manner of speaking – adapted by the book of the same name by Aaron Starmer from writer/director, Brian Duffield, who is having quite the year by the way, having written Underwater earlier this year as well as Love And Monsters, which will be releasing soon. It follows a high school student, Mara Carlyle (Katherine Langford), whose school turns chaotic when student begin exploding at random, leaving behind nothing but their clothes and a pool of blood. Upon realizing that any moment could be their last, a classmate of hers, Dylan Hovenmeyer (Charlie Plummer), decides to open up about his crush on her.
As I was watching the film, I was reminded of a number of those teen romances that revolved around their characters experiencing some kind of terminal illness that became big after the success of The Fault In Our Stars like Now Is Good, Five Feet Apart, and Everything, Everything, among many others. Except you know, with all the tropes and motifs you’d get from one of those films taken to a ridiculous extreme, but without veering into full on parody. The film may have a sense of humor, but it isn’t afraid of being sincere when it needs to be.
The film walks on a very delicate tonal tightrope. On one hand, some of the sequences where kids explode is played for laughs, and some of the reactions are also funny. But then there are other moments where these moments are as dark and upsetting as the situation would imply if they were to actually happen. Duffield pulls off that balance really well, knowing when to pull back on the snark, and ease us back into a serious moment before surprising us with another gag. The turns can sometimes be sudden, but they work because they stay true to the characters.
And it is with the characters where the film really shines, especially with Mara, who is this really sardonic and quick-witted gal. I first saw Langford, as I’m sure many did, with her work on Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why, as well as her role in Knives Out. Here, she shows a side that we haven’t seen yet, and she really brings an impressive amount of charm and grace and irreverence to the role. She also has terrific chemistry with Plummer, who is also quite good, if not necessarily stretching beyond what we already know what he’s capable of. Hayley Law also makes a strong impression as Tess, Mara’s best friend since childhood. She bounces off Langford very well.
Sometimes the film can be a bit too clever for its own good. It’s one of those films where it seems like everyone has a vast knowledge of pop culture, and knows to throw the perfect possible line and reference at any given moment. Most of the time, it works, but it can also get a bit tiresome at a few points. However, what the film gets so right is the way it dramatizes the weight that teenagers feel these days. While there may still be an aspect of that feeling of invincibility that is often felt by younger people, now more than ever, those same younger people are faced with danger looming over them at every given moment, from school shootings, to the threat of climate change, to rise of authoritarian politicians pushing regressive policies, and now the COVID-19 pandemic, which I’m sure is making many face their mortality at a time when that shouldn’t be a huge concern.
That theme takes most of the spotlight in the final act of Spontaneous, exploring the feeling that life is fickle, and the kids these days have been dealt with an incredibly crappy hand, one that sometimes seems to go out of its way to make circumstances worse for them. It takes great resilience to persevere through that, and the film takes a refreshingly optimistic approach in its belief in the current generation’s ability to power through, and make something of themselves and the world around them despite all the terrible things they’re facing. I found it to be really effective and oddly moving, considering how cynical, sarcastic, and cheeky most of the film was prior to its conclusive moments. It has a lot of energy, style, and personality to spare, making for an impressive directorial debut on Brian Duffield’s part, and it’s one that I think will leave a strong impression with anyone who gives it a watch.
Spontaneous is now available in select theaters and VOD platforms.