ROCKET SCIENCE — ** 1/2 — Reece Thompson, Anna Kendrick, Nicholas D'Agosto; rated R (profanity, vulgarity, brief sex, brief nudity, violence)
Like its main character, "Rocket Science" is painfully awkward at times.
Thankfully, most of this film isn't painful to watch, but some go-nowhere scenes could be trimmed to make it leaner and meaner.
The film's degree of awkwardness doesn't approach the unpleasantness of Ben Stiller's so-called "embarrassment comedies," however, instead bringing to mind the work of "Rushmore" and "Royal Tenenbaums" filmmaker Wes Anderson, albeit less whimsical. And "Rocket Science" definitely ends on a more realistic note than most of Anderson's films.
Television actor Reece Thompson ("Stargate: Atlantis," "Smallville") stars as Hal Hefner, a stuttering wreck of a teenager. Hal is barely able to express himself in his classes or with his family, much less with members of the opposite sex. And that only worsens when Ginny Ryerson (Anna Kendrick) prods him to join the school's debate team.
Just being around the ultraconfident Ginny makes him even more flustered. So, unable to deal with his severe crush, Hal seeks out the advice of his worldly older brother, Earl (Vincent Piazza), as well as Ben Wekselbaum (Nicholas D'Agosto), Ginny's former debate-team partner.
With all of that, screenwriter/director Jeffrey Blitz has plenty of material, but he can't help throwing in a couple of unfunny subplots about the love lives of various parents and one about Ginny's adolescent neighbor (Josh Kay).
But Blitz's dialogue is often clever, and the young cast members impress, particularly relative newcomers Thompson and Kendrick ("Camp").
And the filmmakers' unique use of a few Violent Femmes songs will probably bring smiles to the band's fans.
"Rocket Science" is rated R for strong sexual language (profanity and sexually explicit slang), brief sex (overheard) and other sexual contact, brief nudity (nude art), some violence (acts of vandalism), and a scene depicting teen drinking. Running time: 98 minutes.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com