The Spectacular Now

"Hits You Like A Shot In The Heart."

2013 1h 35m EN

👍

6.7

SOLID

★6.7TMDB · 3,092

ComedyDramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Sutter, a popular party animal, unexpectedly meets the introverted Aimee after waking up on a stranger's lawn. As Sutter deals with the problems in his life and Aimee plans for her future beyond school, an unexpected romance blossoms between them.

“Hits You Like A Shot In The Heart.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Miles Teller
Sutter Keely
Shailene Woodley
Aimee Finecky
Masam Holden
Ricky Mehlinger
Kaitlyn Dever
Krystal Krittenbrink
Brie Larson
Cassidy Roy
Kyle Chandler
Tommy Keely
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Sara Keely
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
Holly Keely

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: James Ponsoldt
Writers: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Directed by James Ponsoldt, shot by Jess Hall. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rob Simonsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Darrin Navarro shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley and Masam Holden carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Hits You Like A Shot In The Heart.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt1714206 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

James Ponsoldt directs. Jess Hall behind the camera. Rob Simonsen scores. Darrin Navarro cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $2.5M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Released 13 years ago.
3Directed by James Ponsoldt, shot by Jess Hall. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by Rob Simonsen. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Darrin Navarro shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley and Masam Holden carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Hits You Like A Shot In The Heart.".
8IMDB entry: tt1714206 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Jess Hall
Original score: Rob Simonsen
Editing: Darrin Navarro
Production design: Linda Sena
Costume design: Peggy Stamper
Makeup / hair: Denise Tunnell
VFX supervisor: Matthew Bramante
Sound: Ryan Collins
Stunt coordinator: Scott Dale
Runtime: 95 min · 1h 35m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $2,500,000
Box office: $6,854,611
Return: 274% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Spectacular Now (2013)

Awards

Sundance Special Jury Prize for Acting

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Also by

James Ponsoldt

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

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Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

tmdb395137282015-02-09
Staggering Negligence This review may contain spoilers Directors come in all shapes and sizes. They range from megalomaniacal tyrants to milquetoast mice. The best ones are virtually invisible, suggestive, telepathic, allowing their talent and techies to excel, while quietly, expertly weaving together their grand vision. James Ponsoldt is either halfway there, or on his way to nowhere. It's obvious he frees up plenty of slack to let his actors run loose, but they don't always know which direction they're heading, and seem to be improvising without a script, which is interesting in a way, for a while, since it gives the movie a semi-reckless, naturalistic feel. The plan is there is no plan. And if the stars magically align in his favour, everyone wins. The problem is some actors really do need direction. Miles Teller, jester of the present, boy without a future, looks awkward and lost much of the time, which may coincide with his character. Without proper guidance, sometimes he gets it right, sometimes trying too hard to be carefree, otherwise not knowing how to shine in the spotlight. He's probably just trying to keep his gears aligned with Shailene Woodley, who once again radiates, this time as a brainy Cinderella on a collision course with a broken heart. Seems she will redeem a second-rate picture every time. Yet again managing to rescue a movie that appears to have little purpose or scheme other than pairing up various young actors and assembling a series of romantic skits. Many scenes end abruptly, probably because the actors ran out of steam. Exhausting the moment. Making the now spectacular isn't easy when the director is absent. Then there's the accident-from-nowhere scene. When Miles cries out and orders Shailene out of the car in the middle of nowhere and, once stepping out on the freeway, is suddenly struck out of frame by a speeding bus. My heart jumped. Okay I'm awake now. I was ready to forgive the director's sheepishness up to that point, which was, I hoped, only a decoy to set up a fatal or near-fatal accident scene, one that was going to turn the narrative completely on its head. I was next expecting to find Woodley in a coma, a wheel-chair, or completely disfigured. And Miles being tested by an act of fate. How will he answer to this? But the story plods along as if nothing happened. Which I'm sure nothing did, not in the script or on location. It had to be a sensationalized CGI stunt contrived in the editing room to inject the tedious narrative with a much-needed shot of adrenaline. Cheap trick. This is clearly the sign of poor story-telling and a director that isn't in command of his position.

Production companies

Who made it

GL
Global Produce
21 Laps Entertainment
US
Andrew Lauren Productions
US

Key crew

ProducerAndrew Lauren
NovelTim Tharp
ProducerShawn Levy
Costume DesignPeggy Stamper
EditorDarrin Navarro
Production DesignLinda Sena
ProducerMichelle Krumm
CastingAngela Demo
Set DecorationJess Royal
ProducerTom McNulty
CastingBarbara J. McCarthy
Visual Effects SupervisorMatthew Bramante
Sound Re-Recording MixerRyan Collins
Sound RecordistTim Limer
Visual Effects ProducerGresham Lochner
Supervising Sound EditorRyan Collins
Makeup Department HeadDenise Tunnell
Sound Re-Recording MixerLeslie Shatz
Music SupervisorSeason Kent
Music SupervisorGabe Hilfer
MusicianWalter Simonsen
Foley ArtistEric Milano
Co-ProducerDan Cohen
Co-ProducerBilly Rosenberg

Themes & keywords

What it's about, really

based on novel or book
alcoholism
coming of age
high school student
based on young adult novel
introspective
teenager

Release history · US

When it landed

Premiere2013-01-18· Sundance Film Festival
Premiere2013-03-11· South by Southwest Film Festival
Theatrical (limited)2013-08-02R· New York City, New York / Los Angeles, California
Theatrical2013-09-13R
Digital2013-12-17R
Physical2014-01-14R· Blu-ray / DVD