I found 'Rocket Science' the way I've found several wonderful little indie films that nobody seems to know about: the sale bin at Blockbuster.<br /><br />Now I know why there were so many copies in there.<br /><br />The cast is chock-full of actors ranging from competent to spectacular; the script is fairly reeking of obnoxious characters with stereotypical indie-style quirks.<br /><br />Exception: the character of Hal is generally a good kid with a lot of heart and was played well by Reece Thompson. Now riddle me this: What directorial or writing mistake was it to give the kid such a severe stutter that rarely, if ever, improved temporarily? The stutter was endearing at first, then pitiful, then it just got annoying near the end of the movie when it finally dawns on the audience that Nicholas D'Agosto's character doesn't actually help him conquer it.<br /><br />The movie starts out pretty okay. It's not an overdone concept at all, and there are so many things a writer could do with a stuttering teenager on the debate team. Unfortunately, said teenager doesn't conquer anything, doesn't learn much, and ends up getting his heart broken by a soulless, motor-mouthed chick who "ferreted" him for no apparent reason other than to humiliate him.<br /><br />An oft-overlooked strong point of the movie, however, is the cinematography. So many rancid indie films are shot with shaky-cam or heavy shadows to emphasize the realism; Rocket Science makes unbelievable use of white light to the point of it being blinding, especially in the school scenes. The hallways look like they're glowing--an interesting contrast to the darkness of, say, the janitor's closet and Hal's house. I commend the artistry of whoever was behind those visuals; I'm impressed.<br /><br />But frankly: the combination of inane writing, random awkward silences, and annoying music forces me to turn it off about a third of the way through now. This is my third time watching it; the first two times I made it to the end and was highly disappointed both times. I regret throwing away the Blockbuster receipt, since now I have no hope of returning this little slice of pointlessness. Sorry.