Young Adult

JP Liz V1

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1625346/

Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar_-v7dEEoo

From the team behind Juno (Reitman and Diablo), kinda reminds me of Diablo's tv show United States of Tara mixed with Bad Teacher and My Best Friend's Wedding.

Reitman is one of the best young directors working today and while I liked Juno I'm still not sure if Diablo isnt a one hit wonder even though I did like also the tv show USOT that could be more because of the excellent Toni Collette who I think may have been a better choice as lead for this film than Theron. The film seems to have been kept away from the festivals. Patton Oswalt as the friend could be the scene stealer best character in the film. I will probably give the film a look.

Mickeroo

Looks decent enough, I've liked all of Reitman's films so far. I'm not too sure about the Diablo Cody factor though, having said that I really like Juno but I think that was more because of Reitman than Cody.

the whole year inn

Didnt see nothing special there,ill give it a watch just for the sexy theron and the funny oswalt.

No interest in this at all. Reitman has done some good work but Diablo is a terrible writer, Juno is one of the most overrated films ever made and the dialogue is dreadful. How people thought that it captured the voice of a generation is beyond me. Jennifer's Body showed how limited Cody's talent is, it ranks as one of the few films I've turned off and never r bothered to go back and finish.

Handsome Bob

I saw this today and thought it was great, it's humourous at times but also quite sad looking at someone who hasn't been able to move on from her youth.

Theron and Oswalt were a great on screen duo and every scene they had together were the film's highlights.

I'd definitely recommend it.

P.S. Theron's beauty continues to be breathtaking. :pac:

Sad Professor

I liked this a lot. Very funny in places and Theron is brilliant.

tunguska

This is my film for the coming weekend. Hated the writing in Juno, but I have it on good authority that this is in a different league.

delbertgrady

Sure, she looks like Charlize Theron, but Mavis is messed up. She doesn't just want a man, she only wants Buddy and she can't have him. She's borderline alcoholic, lonely and depressed, so it's not just a case of her being "zany and deluded". She's really troubled, and - crucially - with that at the heart of it, it really works. Naturally, the trailer focuses on the comedy, but there's more to it than that.
I'm not equating the two, but it does amuse me that a film like The Descendants can get unanimous praise, and something like this which is no less bittersweet, arguably as poignant and certainly funnier, doesn't get the same credit.

If I were to put on my pedantic critic's hat, I'd say Diablo Cody has a few "hang-ups" or narrative ideas that she just can't escape, not least this apparent obsession with thirty and fortysomethings pining to be rock stars.
Likewise, the recurring references to 1990s alternative music are beginning to grate. The Bateman/Page conversations in Juno, the conveyor belt of people wearing t-shirts with rock bands on them. You just KNOW that this is no mere production design or costume input. I can just imagine this is all writ large in her script. "Matt answers the phone. He is wearing a Death to the Pixies t-shirt". There's nothing necessarily wrong with it, but - a bit like when lacklustre Woody Allen films reveal the tiresome repetitiveness of his characters' traits - she needs to lighten up on those kind of motifs before their constant appearances start to become laughable.

However, there is much to cherish in Young Adult. For a start, any film that uses The Concept by Teenage Fanclub for its opening title song is alright in my book.

Galvasean

Charlie Theron

2ndcoming

Watched this last night and thought it was excellent. As others have said it's well written, darkly funny, a little bit sad but expertly not letting you truly feel sorry for Mavis Gray, and Charlize really is a joy to watch, performance wise as well as the obvious. 4/5

Savman

Is it just me or was there a crazy amount of product placement in this?

McCafe, Hampton Inn, Apple, KFC....not to mention the Mini Cooper that gets a fair amount of screentime.

Sad Professor

I wouldn't consider the use of real products to be product placement unless it's paid-for, which it clearly wasn't in this film. If it was you'd know about it - it would be very blatant.

Contemporary filmmakers prefer to use real brands. Fake brands are more distracting to audiences than real ones. My understanding is that paid product placement is very rare in films now days because it basically involves the director giving up final cut to the brands.

monkeysarecool

I went to see this yesterday. I loved the idea that the prom queen who was a bitch in school ended up unfulfilled. I think it's a nice idea towards younger people who think that the prom queen will accomplish everything and be great in life when in reality, without school they're nothing.

Warper

Must see this - Charlize Theron is fcuking gorgeous

johnny_ultimate

The trailer did nothing to sell this to me, but I thought the film itself is a delight. A bittersweet, cynical and funny film. Reitman and Cody reign in the quirk somewhat, yet the script still sparkles. It's not quite a subtle film, but it's very well written and much more deadpan than the broad trailer suggests. It's basically Theron's show, and Reitman gives her space to breathe.

Liked how the ending suggested a character change, but ultimately - as The Concept suggests - the status quo reigned supreme. She leaves in the same Hello Kitty t-shirt she entered the town in - a nice visual reminder that she's learned nothing at all.

I'd recommend this to even those who hated Juno - even the 90s soundtrack choices are there as a somewhat sardonic reminder of stunted development and times past. A very surprising film.

tunguska

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

The trailer did nothing to sell this to me, but I thought the film itself is a delight. A bittersweet, cynical and funny film. Reitman and Cody reign in the quirk somewhat, yet the script still sparkles. It's not quite a subtle film, but it's very well written and much more deadpan than the broad trailer suggests. It's basically Theron's show, and Reitman gives her space to breathe.

Liked how the ending suggested a character change, but ultimately - as The Concept suggests - the status quo reigned supreme. She leaves in the same Hello Kitty t-shirt she entered the town in - a nice visual reminder that she's learned nothing at all.

I'd recommend this to even those who hated Juno - even the 90s soundtrack choices are there as a somewhat sardonic reminder of stunted development and times past. A very surprising film.

Where did you see it? I cant find it playing anywhere, think it lasted about a week in the cinema, which is a shame.

johnny_ultimate

tunguska wrote: »

Where did you see it? I cant find it playing anywhere, think it lasted about a week in the cinema, which is a shame.

I had some US iTunes credit, so got it on there. Got a pretty poor cinema run alright: didn't get a chance to see it with the film festival and all that jazz.

biko

Beautiful and a great actress, will prob see at some point.

Galvasean

It's gone? Crap! How the heck did I miss that one? I'm always at the GooGooPlex...

Mickeroo

Yea i thought this hadn't come out yet. Was expecting a pretty wide release considering how well Reitman's other films have done.

Jimdagym

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

Liked how the ending suggested a character change, but ultimately - as The Concept suggests - the status quo reigned supreme. She leaves in the same Hello Kitty t-shirt she entered the town in - a nice visual reminder that she's learned nothing at all.

Interesting

I think she did learn. She learned that she has been right all along. She is better than everyone and she was foolish to doubt herself. Her self-belief has been galvanised, despite how obviously unhappy she was at the start. All in her head of course.

johnny_ultimate

Jimdagym wrote: »

Interesting

I think she did learn. She learned that she has been right all along. She is better than everyone and she was foolish to doubt herself. Her self-belief has been galvanised, despite how obviously unhappy she was at the start. All in her head of course.

It's certainly one way to put it.

I find it's more she's back at square one - if she has a character arc, it's a circle. Her delusions have definitely been reaffirmed: she almost learned something, but one conversation put her right back on the wrong track. A hopeless case, an endless cycle of misjudgements and self-delusions.

And a brilliantly compelling protagonist

Thwip!

i thought it wasnt out till next month...it was only talked about being released in empire recent enough wasn't it?

Jimdagym

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

It's certainly one way to put it.

I find it's more she's back at square one - if she has a character arc, it's a circle. Her delusions have definitely been reaffirmed: she almost learned something, but one conversation put her right back on the wrong track. A hopeless case, an endless cycle of misjudgements and self-delusions.

And a brilliantly compelling protagonist

I fully see where you are coming from.

It really was a super film.

Sad Professor

Theron should have been nominated for an Oscar for this. There aren't many actors who could play such an incredibly unlikeable character in such a likeable way. I mean, she's a complete bitch, but you can't help but root for her. It's a great Bill Murray-style performance.

adrianna_cerva

Sad Professor wrote: »

Theron should have been nominated for an Oscar for this. There aren't many actors who could play such an incredibly unlikeable character in such a likeable way. I mean, she's a complete bitch, but you can't help but root for her. It's a great Bill Murray-style performance.

I agree with this, I thought she was truly fantastic in this, a real warts and all performance, she is just so so desperate!

I loved this movie too, and far far preffered it to Juno, I hated the happy clappy stupid dialogue in juno. Young Adult is so much darker, a movie that really makes you think, about the waht if moments in life. and a stunning performance from Charlize

On an unrelated note I dont think the movie did well commerically especially in the US, as the audiences were expecting a romcom which is definitely not what they got!

Galvasean

adrianna_cerva wrote: »

audiences were expecting a romcom which is definitely not what they got!

With each passing comment I lament my missing of this movie more and more..

Basq

Theron was great.. but Patton Oswalt is very good as always.

Miguel_Sanchez

I rented this from Xtra-Vision last night and thought it was great. (Hey look guys Xtra-Vision is still here!)

Like people said Patton Oswalt and Theron make a great double act. It's dark and cynical and sad and hilarious in equal measures.

The overuse of Teenage Fanclub at the start was a great set-up for her character's fixation on the past.

JP Liz V1

Sad Professor wrote: »

Theron should have been nominated for an Oscar for this. There aren't many actors who could play such an incredibly unlikeable character in such a likeable way. I mean, she's a complete bitch, but you can't help but root for her. It's a great Bill Murray-style performance.

Finally got to see this recently and couldn't agree more, loved it, Theron was fab as Mavis who was selfish and self obsessed but I was still was rooting for her

delbertgrady

Miguel_Sanchez wrote: »

The overuse of Teenage Fanclub at the start was a great set-up for her character's fixation on the past.

You can never overuse Teenage Fanclub.

tunguska

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Finally got to see this recently and couldn't agree more, loved it, Theron was fab as Mavis who was selfish and self obsessed but I was still was rooting for her

Ditto. Just got around to seeing it myself recently. Theron was in a different league. I've known a few mavis' in my time and she nailed it.