Cera, Doubleday Shine in Clever Comedy Aside from the usual onslaught of sappy romantic drivel, the sad milkings of former SNL cast members, and the Friedberg/Seltzer travesties, the past few years really have been golden ones for smaller, underdog comedies: Juno, Be Kind Rewind, The Wackness, Adventureland, (500) Days of Summer, and The Hangover to name a few.
Youth In Revolt, a new comedy directed by Miguel Arteta, earns a well-deserved spot on that list.
Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday in "Youth in Revolt." Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday in "Youth in Revolt." The film tells the story of a lonely and neglected teenage virgin named Nick Twisp (Michael Cera), who unexpectedly falls for a free-spirited trailer park girl named Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday). When their summer fling ends and Nick has to move back home, he realizes that she is the one, and must keep her in his life in order to be happy. His passive, nice-guy temperament won't suffice, however, so he creates a bad-boy alter ago – a Tyler Durden, if you will – in order to get Sheeni back. So what begins with a rather cliché set-up quickly turns into a hilarious and unpredictable series of exploits that will leave you laughing and guessing until the end.
It's refreshing to see Michael Cera, who I've referred to as the Anthony Michael Hall of this generation, break out of the shy, soft-spoken mold he's created for himself and venture into more challenging territory. This new role tests his range as an actor, and it suffices to say he passes with flying colors, even if he has to alternate screen time with his usual, soft-spoken self (in this way, the dual-performance becomes almost a self-parody). It's easily his best-acted film yet, and may ultimately serve as a turning point in his career, opening the door to a more diverse melody of roles. Or maybe not.
Newcomer Portia Doubleday is as flawless as she is adorable playing Cera's love interest; her future certainly looks bright. Jean Smart and the always-amazing Steve Buscemi nail their roles as his conceited parents, while the familiar faces of Zach Galifianakis, Ray Liotta, and Justin Long round out the pitch-perfect cast. Michael Cera in "Youth in Revolt." Michael Cera in "Youth in Revolt." What gives this film its edge, ultimately, is its unconventionality. It takes place very much within its own world, and yet, at the same time, the thoughts and feelings emoted on screen are sure to strike a familiar cord with anyone whose road through adolescence had its share of potholes. The smart, snappy dialogue is reminiscent of Diablo Cody's Juno script, sans the annoyance, and a handful of animated sequences interspersed throughout the narrative adds to its overall uniqueness. It tries hard to stand apart from other coming-of-age films, and manages to succeed without being either unoriginal or pretentious.
Best of all, it's funny. Some comedies marketed as nonstop laugh-a-thons can turn out to be dramas in disguise, but with this gem, there is something to enjoy in every scene.
Youth In Revolt opens everywhere on January 8, and you'll be hard-pressed to find something better to do that day.
Zach Copeland is a Senior Writer for The Film Crusade.
Youth In Revolt, a new comedy directed by Miguel Arteta, earns a well-deserved spot on that list.
Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday in "Youth in Revolt." Michael Cera and Portia Doubleday in "Youth in Revolt." The film tells the story of a lonely and neglected teenage virgin named Nick Twisp (Michael Cera), who unexpectedly falls for a free-spirited trailer park girl named Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday). When their summer fling ends and Nick has to move back home, he realizes that she is the one, and must keep her in his life in order to be happy. His passive, nice-guy temperament won't suffice, however, so he creates a bad-boy alter ago – a Tyler Durden, if you will – in order to get Sheeni back. So what begins with a rather cliché set-up quickly turns into a hilarious and unpredictable series of exploits that will leave you laughing and guessing until the end.
It's refreshing to see Michael Cera, who I've referred to as the Anthony Michael Hall of this generation, break out of the shy, soft-spoken mold he's created for himself and venture into more challenging territory. This new role tests his range as an actor, and it suffices to say he passes with flying colors, even if he has to alternate screen time with his usual, soft-spoken self (in this way, the dual-performance becomes almost a self-parody). It's easily his best-acted film yet, and may ultimately serve as a turning point in his career, opening the door to a more diverse melody of roles. Or maybe not.
Newcomer Portia Doubleday is as flawless as she is adorable playing Cera's love interest; her future certainly looks bright. Jean Smart and the always-amazing Steve Buscemi nail their roles as his conceited parents, while the familiar faces of Zach Galifianakis, Ray Liotta, and Justin Long round out the pitch-perfect cast. Michael Cera in "Youth in Revolt." Michael Cera in "Youth in Revolt." What gives this film its edge, ultimately, is its unconventionality. It takes place very much within its own world, and yet, at the same time, the thoughts and feelings emoted on screen are sure to strike a familiar cord with anyone whose road through adolescence had its share of potholes. The smart, snappy dialogue is reminiscent of Diablo Cody's Juno script, sans the annoyance, and a handful of animated sequences interspersed throughout the narrative adds to its overall uniqueness. It tries hard to stand apart from other coming-of-age films, and manages to succeed without being either unoriginal or pretentious.
Best of all, it's funny. Some comedies marketed as nonstop laugh-a-thons can turn out to be dramas in disguise, but with this gem, there is something to enjoy in every scene.
Youth In Revolt opens everywhere on January 8, and you'll be hard-pressed to find something better to do that day.
Zach Copeland is a Senior Writer for The Film Crusade.