Introduction
Synopsis
Sparks is set in the small Nevada town of the same name, where a group of local kids gathers around a reservoir they believe is a portal through time. Once a month, they meet, perform a ritual, and ask to be sent somewhere else, some other time. It’s the kind of imaginative, slightly oddball tradition that feels completely authentic to being young. Kids create their own mythology, their own rules, their own sense of wonder, and Campbell captures that beautifully.
Their central hangout is an old drive-in, which becomes more than just a location. It’s their clubhouse, their stage, their escape. Things shift when two newcomers, Cleo and Odette, arrive in town and are absorbed into the group. Cleo, in particular, becomes the gravitational center of the story. She’s at odds with the world around her, driven by a kind of restless energy and a very specific obsession with Godard films, French cinema, and the idea of Paris in the early 1960s. She’s a bit of an alpha personality, and before long she’s steering the group’s adventures, whether they realize it or not.
Discussion
My description probably makes the film sound smaller than it is. This is more than just a quirky premise. Sparks is a coming-of-age story that feels lived-in and genuine. Campbell writes these kids with a level of care that makes them feel like real people instead of movie characters. Their dialogue is sharp, funny, and just offbeat enough to feel specific without becoming artificial. There’s a looseness to their interactions that works in the film’s favor, and it makes sense to learn that many of the actors were friends of Campbell’s, essentially playing versions of themselves.
Elsie Fisher, as Cleo, is the standout. She brings an awkward intensity to the role that perfectly captures that in-between stage of growing up, where you’re figuring out who you are while also trying to impose that identity on the world around you. Her fixation on French cinema could have come off as a gimmick, but instead it becomes a defining trait that shapes how she sees everything. It’s a smart, layered performance that anchors the film.
Conclusion
More than anything, Sparks succeeds because of its heart. It’s sweet without being overly sentimental, funny without forcing the humor, and thoughtful without becoming heavy- handed. It understands that growing up is messy and strange and often a little magical. That balance is not easy to pull off, especially in a first film.
I do wonder where this film will ultimately land. A wide theatrical release might be a tough sell in today’s market, where smaller, character-driven films often struggle to find footing. At the same time, dropping it quietly onto a streaming platform risks it getting lost in the shuffle. That would be a shame, because this is exactly the kind of film that deserves to be discovered and talked about.
I really loved Sparks. It’s the kind of debut that makes you pay attention to a filmmaker moving forward. If this is what Fergus Campbell can do on his first try, I’m genuinely excited to see what comes next. More importantly, I hope this film finds its audience. It deserves it.
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