PopHorror Let's Get Scared
Sometimes, a film comes along that you didn’t know you needed in your life. For me, that film is the horror comedy, Spontaneous. It has everything and is one of the best coming-of-age stories I’ve ever seen.
This is Brian Duffield’s (The Divergent Series: Insurgent, Jane Got A Gun) debut feature film, which was based on the eponymous novel by Aaron Starmer. It has a killer cast starring Katherine Langford (13 Reasons Why, Cursed), Charlie Plummer (The Clovehitch Killer – read our review here), Piper Perabo (Coyote Ugly), Hayley Law (Riverdale TV series), Rob Huebel (Seeking A Friend for the End of the World), and Yvonne Orji (Night School).
Synopsis for Spontaneous
When students in their high school begin inexplicably exploding (literally), seniors Mara (Katherine Langford) and Dylan (Charlie Plummer) struggle to survive in a world where each moment may be their last. As an unexpected romance blossoms between them, Mara and Dylan discover that when tomorrow is no longer promised, they can finally start living for today.
I love dark comedies like Heathers and Wristcutters: A Love Story, and Spontaneous fits right in with them. It’s the perfect balance of romance, comedy, and pure horror. Spontaneous is uniquely wonderful, as I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It takes spontaneous combustion to a whole new level. Also, the soundtrack is wickedly awesome and fits perfectly with the tone of the film.
The performances are incredible and what really makes this film special. I’ve been a fan of Katherine Langford ever since 13 Reasons Why, but she truly shines in Spontaneous. Her character is fun, quirky, different, and raw. Katherine delivers on all aspects. Charlie Plummer is equally fantastic. I’ve been loved him since The Clovehitch Killer. He shows a different side of his acting range in this one, it was a sweeter, softer side. Hayley Law and Katherine’s chemistry is effortlessly natural and wholesome. I love her performance and their relationship throughout the film.
By the end of Spontaneous, I was starting to get anxiety over all the chaos and madness. Was everyone going to explode? Would anyone survive? I wonder how much fake blood was used in this film… It was that crazy. I kept thinking about what I would do if I was put in that situation, live my life to the fullest or bury myself under a blanket and hide until it’s over? Either way, I promise you’ll love the ending and the bittersweet-ness of it all.
Final Thoughts
I haven’t wanted to own a film this much in a long time, and I will definitely be adding Spontaneous to my collection as soon as I can! The film will hit select drive-ins starting October 2 and VOD/Digital October 6 from Paramount Pictures.
