Youth in Revolt

Directed By: Miguel Arteta

Written By: Gustin Nash

Starring: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Justin Long, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, and Zach Galifiankis

Director of Photography: Chuy Chavez, Editors: Andy Keir and Pamela Martin, Production Designer: Gerald Sullivan, Original Music: John Swihart

Rated: R

    Youth in Revolt, adapted from the popular novel by C.D. Payne, is a pastiche of a number of films. Mr. Payne’s novel, a series of diary entries from its protagonist, the cultured, awkward, and virginal Nick Twisp, is a sprawling 500-page epic of rousing vignettes that are often darkly hilarious and clever. Of course, adapting a novel without a cohesive narrative can often be a problem—Michael Winterbottom’s Tristam Shandy is the only film that I can think captured such a problem so diligently. But that is what director Miguel Arteta and screenwriter Gustin Nash have attempted to do, casting the one man in Hollywood that knows exactly how to play cultured, awkward, and virginal: Michael Cera.

    Many may wonder what will happen when Mr. Cera turns to his 30s or 40s, and the role he has perfected in films like Superbad and Juno, as well as the cult TV series Arrested Development. But for now, Youth in Revolt launches him back into his perfect comfort zone. Mr. Cera plays Twisp with that perfect genuine shyness—mixing dead pan humor among increasingly absurd situations. Those situations begin when Twisp’s mother (Jean Smart) and boyfriend (Zach Galifiankis) decide to move up north for a while to a rundown camper. Twisp then meets the love of his life: Sheeni Saunders, played by newcomer Portia Doubleday.

    Sheeni is everything Twisp coiuld ever want: she’s in love with Jean-Paul Belmondo, adores Sigur Ros, and wants to move to Paris. Twisp likes her, and she likes him, but she needs a real bad man, preferably French. Twisp decides to invent a second personality to fulfill Sheeni’s dreams, named Francois Dillinger, played also by Mr. Cera, but with a light mustache.

    While Youth in Revolt’s jokes are often neither humorous enough nor dark enough, watching Mr. Cera alternate between his usual self and his attempts to play the complete opposite does make for some great situations. Mr. Cera steps out of his comfort zone and has fun playing against his type.

    Unfortunately, Mr. Arteta neither captures the satire nor humor of Mr. Payne’s novel. Due to circumscribe to a cohesive narrative, Youth in Revolt’s collected episodes seem strangely fitted together, and its characters often underwritten (Sheeni especially, who can’t seem to play bad girl or angel, sitting in a weird middle ground). Even some of his visual tricks—most notable a witty credits sequence in claymation—can’t make up for the awkward tone the film sets. Is Youth in Revolt simply another gross out teen comedy, or is it an exploration into the madness of suburbia? If the film can’t decide, how are we suppose to as well?