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| Still from Young Adult |
Divorced, depressed and possibly alcoholic Teen-Fiction Ghostwriter Mavis (Charlize Theron) decides to return to her Hometown of Mercury after failing to find inspiration for her latest Book. After receiving an E-mail announcing the birth of her Ex-boyfriend Buddy's (Patrick Wilson) Daughter, she tries rekindling a Romance with him knowing fully that he is married to his Wife Beth (Elizabeth Reaser). Mavis however, is convinced that he is miserable and feels she would be liberating him. Along the way, she crosses paths with a crippled Matt (Patton Oswalt), whom she paid little mind to in High School where she was a popular Mean Girl. Together they form an unlikely friendship, bonding over Alcohol as Mavis continues her mission to sabotage Buddy's marriage.
Writer Diablo Cody and Director Jason Reitman who both brought us 2007's superb Juno, reunite once again for Young Adult. Although the results aren't quite as compelling as the first time around, this still is an interesting Character Study which is three-parts darkly humorous and one-part heartfelt.
Admittedly it is challenging to root for someone as negative, narcissistic and cruel as Mavis, but Theron sells us on her completely. She takes us on a learning experience where even though we don't see her grow necessarily, we still do see her discover herself after seeing some buried regrets in her life unraveled. This definitely is the Oscar Winner's best work in quite some time, helping us forget some of her more recent misfires. Oswalt also finally gets his coveted Plum Role here and is a delight to watch as a damaged soul who never quite got-over his High School traumas.
Paramount Pictures' Young Adult is now in-theatres and although might not be for all, it is a good kind of strange.
