What Goes Up (2009) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in a small New Hampshire town, known for its picturesque landscapes and quaint charm. This intimate setting provides a stark contrast to the emotional turmoil the characters experience following a tragic event, creating a poignant backdrop for the story's exploration of grief and personal transformation.

• setting
• location
• new hampshire
• small town

The movie is set in 1986, a year marked by cultural excitement around space exploration and significant shifts in youth culture. This specific time period influences the characters' interactions and emotional struggles, reflecting the social dynamics and era-specific challenges faced by both students and adults.

• time period
• 1986
• 1980s
• era

The theme of loss permeates the film as characters grapple with the tragic suicide of a beloved teacher. It explores how grief affects both students and adults in different ways, emphasizing the importance of connection and understanding when processing profound emotional pain.

• loss
• grief
• death
• mourning
• teacher

What Goes Up challenges traditional mentorship boundaries as reporter Campbell Babbitt unexpectedly becomes a figure of guidance for grieving students. His evolving relationship with them creates a role reversal where both parties influence each other, forcing Campbell to confront his own vulnerabilities while the students seek direction amid their chaos.

• mentorship
• guidance
• teacher student relationship
• Campbell Babbitt

The film delves into murky moral waters as Campbell navigates his professional missteps and emotional conflicts. He faces ethical dilemmas that question his boundaries while building relationships with students, prompting audiences to reflect on the complexities of right and wrong in both personal and professional realms.

• morality
• ethics
• dilemmas
• Campbell Babbitt
• conflict

Campbell Babbitt is a cynical journalist from New York who arrives in New Hampshire to cover a local hero's welcome. Haunted by his past choices, he becomes unexpectedly drawn into the lives of grieving students, experiencing significant personal transformation as he confronts his vulnerabilities and discovers unexpected mentorship opportunities.

• Campbell Babbitt
• protagonist
• reporter
• journalist
• main character

Molly Shannon's character serves as a protective figure, attempting to shield her students and the community from the scandal that emerges after the teacher's suicide. She embodies the struggle to maintain educational integrity and protect young people from the consequences of adult decisions in a challenging environment.

• Molly Shannon
• protective figure
• teacher
• guardian

Hilary Duff's character portrays a narcissistic temptress who embodies the complexities of teenage identity and the desperate longing for validation. Her actions reveal the tumultuous landscape of adolescence as she grapples with her desires amidst the emotional chaos of grief, adding significant depth to the film's exploration of youth struggles.

• Hilary Duff
• teenager
• narcissism
• validation
• teenage identity

Josh Peck's character is portrayed as a repressed voyeur who provides a unique perspective on the emotional turmoil experienced by students. His quiet observation becomes a form of coping with grief, demonstrating the varied responses to loss and offering deeper insight into teenage emotional challenges.

• Josh Peck
• voyeur
• teenager
• grief
• coping

Olivia Thirlby's character is a scheming pregnant teenager whose situation highlights the struggles of teenage responsibility and the consequences of choices. Her storyline serves as a catalyst for discussions about personal accountability amid family and societal pressures, adding complexity to the group dynamic of outcasts.

• Olivia Thirlby
• pregnant teenager
• responsibility
• consequences

The film carries a melancholic tone established by grieving students and a cynical protagonist confronting his vulnerabilities. The medium intensity stems from the heavy emotional subject matter, including suicide and scandal, balanced by reflective character moments. The overall feel is bittersweet, with personal growth emerging from difficult, morally ambiguous circumstances.

• tone
• melancholic
• emotional
• bittersweet
• mood