At this point, audiences have had so much experience with movies that it’s rare for one to be truly surprising, but that’s just what Spontaneous is -- and not just because it features teenagers regularly exploding. On the one hand, Spontaneous is a coming-of-age story, and to some degree obeys the tropes of the genre, as main character Mara Carlyle (Katherine Langford), attempts to figure out how to cope with the unexpected challenges of life. But the movie goes beyond that, showcasing the hilarious horrors of pending adulthood, the sweet innocence of first romance and the poignant tragedy of loss. And it eventually comes to a wryly existential, yet touching conclusion that speaks perfectly to our current uncertain times.

The movie starts out with a bang -- literally. As high school senior Mara sits in class just trying to get through another day of school, the girl sitting in front of her pops "like a balloon." Afterwards, while she and her classmates are held by the baffled police, Mara points out it could happen again. And it does, randomly and for no reason; none of the high school seniors are safe.

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While it’s horrific and scary, the fact that every second could be his last leads Mara’s classmate Dylan (Charlie Plummer) to live in the moment and finally confess his long-time crush to her. It’s quickly apparent the pair of oddballs are perfect for each other and their charming romance blossoms quickly, making for a heartfelt counterpoint to the horror happening around them. Meanwhile, the Feds arrive to try to figure out what’s going on and how to stop it.

There’s a lot packed into this story of love and spontaneous combustion, but no summary can capture how unique it is. The combination of whimsy, horror, drama, romance and comedy is a strange brew, but the movie, which is the feature directing debut of Brian Duffield who also adapted the screenplay from the novel by Aaron Starmer, uses creative flourishes (directly addressing the camera, animation, montages) along with Mara’s sardonic narration to bring the whole thing together. And although the plot sags a bit towards the middle, it quickly finds its way out of that slump to reach even greater emotional heights.

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Part of the reason the movie works is it’s filled with fantastic performances. Katherine Langford is vibrantly magnetic as Mara. Langford’s turned in strong work in high-profile projects like 13 Reasons Why and Cursed, but Spontaneous showcases the breadth of what she’s capable of in a way those projects couldn't. Plummer is equally charming, and together he and Langford create a relationship that feels completely organic to the two high-school students they’re playing, tentative, wide-eyed and lovely. Hayley Law as Mara’s best friend, Tess, is also great, and the friendship between the pair is shown to be just as important to Mara’s life as her romance with Dylan.

In certain ways Spontaneous feels like the creative successor to Heathers, but it’s also not nearly as dark. Like any teenager testing boundaries, the characters have their subversive moments; however, if anything, the movie's drolly realistic about the challenges and triumphs of living, even if Mara doesn’t always know how to deal with the extraordinary loss she suffers due to her class’ strange affliction.  Furthermore, while Spontaneous feels very of the moment, even briefly calling out our current President, its observations about the hopelessness and beauty of life are also timeless, making it a movie that should stand the test of time.

Spontaneous is written and directed by Brian Duffield and stars Katherine Langford, Charlie Plummer, Hayley Law, Yvonne Orji, Piper Perabo and Rob Huebel. It is currently in theaters and will be released on Premium Video-On-Demand and for Digital purchase on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

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