Andrew, a withdrawn young man portrayed by Dane DeHaan—who will soon be seen as Harry Osborn in The Amazing Spider-Man 2—is asked by his more sociable cousin Matt (Alex Russell, of Bait and Carrie) to attend a party intended to lift his spirits. Andrew is dealing with difficult circumstances at home; his mother’s illness requires expensive medication he can barely afford, and his father struggles with alcoholism and abuse. He carries around an old video camera that he's recently been using to record... well, it seems like the sadness in his life. At the party, Matt, feeling a little awkward about his cousin’s constant filming, drifts away to socialize with other students, including Steve (Michael B. Jordan, known from The Wire and Friday Night Lights), who is popular but genuinely kind. Andrew's presence with the camera creates issues, leading to his abrupt removal from the gathering. Outside, he's approached by Steve, who invites him along with Matt to investigate a strange hole in the ground located nearby in the woods (as often happens, some partygoers had already spilled out into the darkness). The three of them descend into this hole, which turns out to be more like a tunnel leading to... something unexpected. It appears to be a glowing, somewhat unsettling mineral or space rock. After emerging from the hole, they discover they now have mild telekinetic abilities—the power to move objects with their minds. They find that practice strengthens this ability, progressing from levitating small toys to soaring through the air. Andrew proves especially skilled with his newfound talent, and this becomes a problem because while Matt and Steve are content to use their powers for minor jokes or perhaps an exciting vacation, Andrew’s difficult home life, feelings of isolation, and subsequent mood swings lead him to want to fully embrace his power—a power that has grown into something potentially dangerous. With Chronicle, writer Max Landis (son of John “An American Werewolf in London” Landis) and director Josh Trank have taken familiar elements—like cinéma vérité and superhero origin stories—and created something fresh and worthwhile for a relatively small investment (the budget was reportedly $12 million, though it looks like much more). It’s not flawless; the need to explain the camera angles in the first-person narrative occasionally feels awkward despite the clever device of Andrew using his telekinesis to move the camera behind him. Some of Andrew's outbursts during the middle portion—including one with serious consequences—seem excessive and disconnect you from the character, although that might have been intentional. The portrayal of his abusive father (Michael Kelly, from Dawn of the Dead and Did You Hear About the Morgans?) also feels somewhat unrealistic. However, these are thoughts that came to me after watching. The movie’s atmosphere, pace, and especially the performances of the three young men who gain powers carry it effectively until its swift conclusion at the 78-minute mark (excluding credits). I recommend it.

Source on TMDB