Young Adult (2011)
Certified: 16
Duration: 94 minutes
Directed by: Jason Reitman
Starring: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe, Hettienne Park, J. K. Simmons
KRS release

Young Adult is a dark comedy from the pen of Diablo Cody, directed by Jason Reitman – the same team who delivered the groundbreaking Juno in 2007.

It is sharp, witty and its anti-heroine is a character we can easily associate with. It also says a lot about society and new generations hung up on their schooldays, constantly yearning for that time or still making decisions affected by their youth days.

Mavis (Charlize Theron) is 37 years old and works as a writer of fiction aimed at young adults. She is miserable and only has a dog for company. That’s about it.

When she was younger, she was the college sweetheart but that’s no longer the case.

When she discovers her former boyfriend Buddy (Patrick Wilson) has just had a baby with his wife Beth (Elizabeth Reaser), she decides she must save him from a life in whichhe has achieved so little.

So she returns to the town of Mercury to get Buddy back, only to find out that he is perfectly happy.

It is here that she meets Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt) who was a nobody back in college.

He still limps as a consequence of an accident in college. Yet strangely enough, he becomes chummy with Mavis even though back in college she barely knew he existed.

Soon Mavis will have to face the truth about herself and her life; but will she manage to do this before ruining the lives of others?

The film’s look at self-esteem issues is revelatory

Ms Theron embodies the anguished spirit of Mavis well. We get to see a woman who is torn apart: On one side she still is the beauty queen from the college days but, on the other, she is trying to cope with the fact that her dreams are going to waste. This is not the future she had envisaged and this is where the audience gets to empathise with her character.

Young Adult’s Mavis is a woman who is at odds with her own life. She takes the decision to return to the place where she grew up which turns into a wake-up call.

Ms Theron carries the film ably enough as every camera shot focuses on her character; she is in practically every frame.

Yet, I ended up feeling sorry for Mavis – she believes everyone is jealous of her when in reality they are sorry for her.

Ms Theron brings to the screen a woman who seems to be encapsulated within her world, oblivious to whatever happens outside her bubble. The film also sees Mr Reitman’s development as director. He has much improved on a technical level.

His directorial style borders on the obsessive in its attention to detail, yet it is done in a manner that delivers well on the entertainment level and serves as a character study.

It’s very interesting to see how he is in control of everything and yet prefers to remain in the background, while allowing the excellent script and characters to deliver their dose of punishment.

Young Adult will make you laugh but in a very uncomfortable manner as the situations are difficult and the film’s look at self-esteem issues is revelatory.