Isaac Marion’s ascent to notoriety is a kind of Hollywood fairy tale; and like all fairy tales, his story is exceptional because it’s totally unusual. Marion’s seven page online short story took to the internet like fresh air to a house fire. Within twelve short months the story was produced into a novel in 2010, and under the auspices of producer Bruna Papandrea (Milk, All Good Things) was optioned and adapted into a feature-length “zombie romance” by Jonathan Levine (50/50, The Wackness).

According to Marion, the script is true to the novel–a love story about two jaded and emotionally unavailable teenagers–and maintains a strong first person narrative. Levine has put the story before the monster, and the references to the larger genre is tasteful, and the ideas fresh–this time, the zombies are still brain-hungry but empathetic, the product of over-stimulations and prone to apathy, walking around the city aimlessly, in search of…something.

This is where we meet “R” played by Nicholas Hoult. The actor’s experience with cirque-du-soleil gives to a great physicality, when his character is otherwise mute for three-quarters of the film. “R” wanders from suburb to suburb of Montreal, aimless, apathetic, speechless with his best friend “M” (Rob Corddry). Neither can remember their past–”R”s room aboard a 747 is filled with accumulated junk, and new-wave records, his only personality revealed as a pastiche of things he probably doesn’t understand but still feels drawn to.

Enter “J”–seeing a pattern yet? Teresa Palmer plays the star-crossed lover in this loose adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. “R” has just eaten the brains of her boyfriend played by locaquatious Dave Franco (until he proves otherwise, brother of…) in a brief cameo and in secret continues to devour them like a seasoned grapefruit. His memories prove to be like some kind of psychotropic drug, not into his own mind, but into the mind of J’s first. The allegory is altogether, weird, daring and totally astute to a generation used to mediated experience.

The backdrops are astounding; namely the set design of the airport, and the minimalism of an indoor stadium–which were purportedly set and scrapped in minutes, done on a very limited budget. The only place it’s just par is the compound in which “J”s dad, Girgio, played by John Malkovich is keeping the city safe. Think the Governor without the perverse preoccupation with zombie experiments in Walking Dead. Malkovich is altogether boring, or alternately, and more likely based on his words in a recent interview, Levine seemed too intimidated to change his direction like he did with the others.

But the tone otherwise proves exceptional because of Levine’s approach. Apparently, he tried several variations with the actor’s on set, which took some getting used to for Analeigh Tipton who plays Nora, and Franco, but refrained from improvisation.

But this meant that the written, heavier, philosophical moments are powerful but also feel necessary to

balance out the really hysterical moments. It clearly allowed for a lot of choice in the editing room. The result is a very focused and charming chemistry between the two principal actors, the juxtaposes the narcissism and apathy of the threat—the zombies. We feel close, but never claustrophobic.

It’s a simple, feel-good movie, one could call “cute,” but not because it’s base, but because it doesn’t promise to exceed expectations but does anyway and refuses to be pigeon-holed by callous critics. Oh, and it also has a bad-ass soundtrack. So definitely seek it out.