Young Adult
Director Jason Reitman and Writer Diablo Cody team up to hopefully recreate the chemistry the two had on Juno. Mavis, a 30 something, former high-school prom queen, turned young adult novelist (Charlize Theron) returns home to Mercury Minnesota to try and win back the love and affection of her old high-school sweetheart, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson). The catch, Buddy is now happily married and with child. Now it’s up to former classmate Matt (Patton Oswalt) to talk some sense into Mavis, but will she get it and just how far will she go?
Interesting premise and plot, and of course Cody’s signature razor sharp dialogue make for some often difficult to watch but compelling moments. And, Theron is the perfect foil to creatively and convincingly deliver the acid, impressive. Unfortunately I can’t say I’m in love this go round. Wrestling with obsession and the inability to grow up are the driving forces, and we get a healthy dose of this, but, in several instances that which could have been moving and powerful just comes across as flat and just unconvincing. Overall, I’m left feeling the film starts rather slow, gets us halfway into the experience and then just kind of stalls out, which to an extent is intentional, I get that, I’m just not enamored by the allegory-esque nature. Makes for an interesting portrait, but not a masterpiece. Maybe a matinee, Young Adult is rated R.