Spontaneous (2020)

Director: Brian Duffield
Writer(s): Duffield
Starring: Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Yvonne Orji and Hayley Law

Spontaneous is the kind of film that will either win you over or turn you off based entirely on its synopsis: “When students in their school begin exploding (literally), seniors Mara and Dylan struggle to survive in a world where each moment may be their last.” That’s right, the entire thing is about high school students exploding in a cloud of blood at random times, and for seemingly no reason.

I mean, that’s pretty much it for the plot. There are really no villains, or other obstacles that get in the way of the main stars’ quests for love…although, I guess randomly exploding is problematic enough. It’s just about two lovebirds navigating through the uncertainty of a high school life made even more uncertain thanks to an unidentifiable epidemic. They know they can be taken away from each other at any given time, so they decide to live life to the fullest.

Of course, detonated teenagers aren’t the sole point of the movie: Like Ginger Snaps - which used the bite of a werewolf as a metaphor for a teenager experiencing her first period - Spontaneous uses its gruesome setup as an allegory for…well, a lot of things. There’s the awkwardness of high school, the joys of love, the ups and downs of life in general, grief, dealing with loss, rebelling against authorities, etc., all from the perspective of a group of teens who are on the precipice of adulthood. And it deals with those things with a knack for tossing in some humor to soften the potential edges of such a weird, dark premise.

Mara is played by the lovely Katherine Langford, now blonde, who was memorable as Hannah in the dramatic series “13 Reasons Why”. Here, she plays a very similar character, although she gets a lot more screentime, seeing as how, you know, she’s not dead. She has a natural charm about her and uses it to full effect here. She’s the type of actress who’s just instantly likable the moment she appears onscreen; she has an understated personality that wins you over without the appearance of her even having to try. 

It helps that she’s surrounded by a capable cast, including Charlie Plummer as Dylan, the guy with whom she forges an almost immediate bond (once they actually talk to each other). He’s got an innocence about him, a boyish charm that never forces him to resort to being the “bad boy” in order to keep his girl's attention. Their chemistry feels natural, which only helps to make the weird material around them work better than it should. 

Also refreshing: Mara’s parents (played by Rob Huebel and Piper Perabo, in a rare post-Coyote Ugly appearance). They’re the cool parents who let her do what she wants (within reason), because they trust that she won’t do anything stupid. That makes some of the later scenes between them all the more powerful, as their once-relaxed demeanor changes into desperation once Mara's behavior takes a turn for the worse. 

The relationship between parents and their children are where coming-of-age films (and movies in general) frequently miss their mark, but that might actually be the most impressive thing about Spontaneous. They strike the perfect balance between being her friend and letting her navigate through life on her own, but also provide emotional support when she needs it. And when she takes things too far, they aren’t afraid to put their feet (foot?) down. There’s a feeling of effortlessness in their scenes together that is so smooth, you wouldn't be surprised if they were relatives in real life. 

It’s far from perfect - Mara’s bombastic final monologue is almost cringe-inducing in its delivery and message - but Spontaneous provides a surprising amount of charm to balance out its bloodletting. And the comedy, which is often genuinely funny, manages to keep things feel as lighthearted as a movie about exploding teenagers can be. There’s some heartfelt moments, sure, but it somehow never veers into dark territory. 

That’s what makes this a great date movie: whether you’re into horror or romance, chances are you’re going to find a lot to like here. There’s enough blood to satiate the horror fans, but enough genuine emotions and connections to satisfy those looking for a good love story. It might not excel at either, but it pulls the combination off well enough to warrant a viewing to those looking for a unique experience that, like its characters, is more than happy to exist outside the norm.

RATING: 6/10

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