Funny, clever, drunken good times. I really loved this movie.
The second teaming of director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody, Young Adult is about a woman named Mavis (Theron) who writes fiction for youth and can't seem to grow up herself. Void of any common sense she goes back home to convince her high school sweetheart he isn't happy with his wife and baby.
Writer Diablo Cody said she wanted to create a sort of female anti-hero in Mavis, and she certainly succeeds. Charlize Theron is as ugly on the inside as she was on the outside in 2003's Monster.
By eschewing the traditional character arc for Mavis, Diablo keeps it fresh. Don't expect the usual redemptive 180 degree turn.
Jason Reitman just knows what to do with Cody's script and really captures the tone. He direcs a fantastic cast and even find room for a JK Simmons cameo.
The soundtrack is well textured though the movie, never overpowering the story. The concept of the mix tape might be lost on some of the iPod generation but it's emotional significance is stil strong in many hearts.
Paton Oswalt is phenomenal, if you saw him in
Big Fan you know he has the acting chops but he really swings for the fence in this piece, I would be surprised if he didn't get a best supporting actor nod for this.
Seeing Cody and Reitman together on stage it is obvious they enjoy the experience of making films together. She said it was easy to trust him with what she's written and he kept saying directing her screenplay was easy because "its all on the page". Hopefully these two will work together again in the future and the results will be just as fruitful. I'm writing it here, and I don't know if I'm first but... OSCAR BUZZ!
Young Adult (Dec 9 limited; wide: Dec. 16)
