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Young Adult (2011)

Director: Jason Reitman

Time Out rating

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21 reviews

Movie review

From Time Out London

Here’s a new comedy from Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, the writer/director duo behind ‘Juno’. But don’t go expecting another happy, warm hug of a movie: this is much less of a charmer, trailing a juicy waft of sourness behind it. Charlize Theron gives her best performance in years; she’s properly funny (who knew?) as Mavis Gary, a train-wreck who crashes into her hometown to reclaim her high-school sweetheart, Buddy (Patrick Wilson). What, Buddy’s happily married? Devoted to his new baby? Like Mavis gives a damn. She’s angry, self-obsessed, immature, stalkerish, possibly alcoholic… and we’re kinda gunning for her.

The film’s writer, Cody is one seriously funny woman – and one of Hollywood’s most in-demand writers. With Mavis, it’s like she’s given life to a less-successful, less-together evil alter ego, a terrifying what-if. Mavis, 37 and divorced, is also a writer – of young adult fiction (industry-speak for teen novels). And she displays all the emotional maturity of one of her characters. I can’t remember a heroine so triumphantly and spectacularly messy. Back in Mercury, Minnesota, an old classmate, clearly traumatised from their high-school days together, spies her across a bar and hisses (almost without realising): ‘psychotic prom queen bitch’.

Mavis isn’t stupid – she can see that Buddy loves his wife, but downing another shot of whisky blanks it out. Cody draws her characters with absolute precision. Is Mavis slinking back to have a breakdown? There’s an empty loneliness threatening to swallow her up, and that keeps on side even when she’s at her meanest. Here’s Mavis on Mercury: ‘People here are so happy with so little. It’s like they don’t even care what happens to them.’ There is a raw honesty here rare in movies, and it’s very funny too – excruciating at times.

Author: Cath Clarke

Time Out London Issue 2163: Feb 2-8, 2012

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User reviews of this film

linda said...

Posted on Apr 10 2012 22:58 I really dont understand how this is a comedy? It is not funny rather sad and I totally do not understand the relevance of her Trichotillomania? This film made for uncomfortable viewing far to many times to give it anything higher than a 1 star.

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gordon said...

Posted on Apr 05 2012 19:33 best movie i've seen in ages

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LDK said...

Posted on Mar 14 2012 15:37 Its unfortunate that I HAVE to give a minimum of 1 star, Charlize tried way to hard to be funny and was very unsuccessful, this was more of a Cameron Diaz role, but I have my doubts that even a "funny" actress could've made this movie funny, it was more like a tragic drama, there's nothing funny about a middle aged alcoholic trying to break up a marriage....

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Cassius said...

Posted on Mar 09 2012 07:18 Excuse the typo below...I know the film is called Young Adult. I also thought to question the "(who knew?)" reviewers comment regarding Charlize Theron being able to act "funny". Answer: Anyone who has seen her banjo-playing simpleton role from Arrested Development.

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Cassius said...

Posted on Mar 09 2012 07:12 A wonderfully awkward performance from Charlize Theron in a film that reminded me of Greenberg. If you enjoyed that portrait of a 'difficult" character you will not be disappointed with You Adult.

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TJ Wright said...

Posted on Feb 21 2012 22:11 This black comedy turns a painfully hilarious mirror on a type of modern narcissism. Wickedly funny, excellent performances and excellent writing and direction.

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Blaize67 said...

Posted on Feb 20 2012 08:41 Deliciously dark humour from Reitman/Cody. I enjoyed Juno more, but here we have a grown up tale of a psychotic prom queen going home..and well off the rails. Charlize is fab in the lead. A good fun watch. Recommended.

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Sutton said...

Posted on Feb 13 2012 14:35 Never go see a film on the back of a good trailer. This film was dire, I’d seen the funny bits and struggled to keep awake during the rest. Very disappointing.

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Bucks Tony said...

Posted on Feb 10 2012 09:07 This is a terrific film, both funny and adult in a grown-up way. Charlize Theron should (but won't) get the Oscar for best actress while Patrick Wilson should (but won't) get one for best supporting male actor. This isn't for young adults: if you've been brought up on a diet of excitement and spectacle this isn't your cup cake, but it it is heart breaking for anyone who feels for the crash of a prom queen. The triumph of the film is that it actually evokes such empathy for a person who doesn't, in a moral sense, deserve it.

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Simon said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 23:43 After seeing Diablo Cody's Jennifer's Body, I vowed never to watch another film she writes. She doesn't write dialogue, witty or otherwise, she just has her characters relentlessly spout pop culture references and tiresome teen idioms.

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KP said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 23:30 i found Cath Clarke's review to be absolutely spot on. Thoroughly enjoyed the film. Theron is fabulous....and shocking... and..... scary..A lot of painfully funny and excruciating moments. Fatal Attraction ..minus bunnies and slashed wrists ! - ------and none the worse for it.

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Tim said...

Posted on Feb 09 2012 19:02 God knows which movie the previous commentators saw. I never really warmed to Juno's arch teen speak although Cody won an Oscar for it. Young Adult is another matter. It has one of the darkest laugh out loud scripts I've ever heard. I was snorting with laughter throughout whilst peering through my fingers at the genuinely shocking behaviour of the lead character. Charlize Theron surpasses her Monster role and joins Michael Fassbender and Albert Brooks in being cruelly overlooked by the Academy this year. An amazing performance in a absolutely marvellous movie. Go see!

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Leon Nasus said...

Posted on Feb 06 2012 16:44 Please get a new set of Time Out reviewers. They sound as though they work for the film producers. The Artist:Five Stars:Oscar Certainty: but simply sentimental superficiality. Young Adult:Four stars: Neither clever enough to be amusing nor insightful enough to be interesting. Where are the descendants of Pauline Kael?

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Cassandra Glowacka said...

Posted on Feb 05 2012 21:56 I agree with this Andy fella, The only reason I didn't leave, was because I was so embarrassed I had paid money for the ticke, that I didn't have the get up and go to leave!

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Andy Allen said...

Posted on Feb 05 2012 21:48 This has to rate as one of the worst films I have ever seen. Terrible storyline and I had no empathy for any of the characters. I was severely disappointed.

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