Jason Reitman is one of the freshest directors working today. Jason Reitman makes funny, sharp, bitter comedies that provide some social critique. Each of Mr. Reitman’s films has been better than the previous ones—that is until Young Adult. Young Adult is funny and bitter but isn’t as sharp, original, and funny that his previous three films. Also, Young Adult seems to not have much to say. There is no damning social criticism or piercing character study (even though Young Adult attempts the latter).
The young adult in question is Mavis Gary, an attractive woman in a state of arrested development. Mavis Gary (played by the underrated Charlize Theron) was a popular girl in high school who hasn’t grown up (hence, the title, Young Adult) and still thinks she can get what she wants.
Mavis Gary is a ghostwriter for a once-popular children’s series of books which now are on the clearance shelf and even at such slashed down prices, have trouble selling.
What Young Adult wants to portray is a character who is unable to understand reality and that what was once popular is no longer. Just like Mavis Gary’s books were popular, now they aren’t. People have their ups and downs as well.
The problem with Young Adult is that the audience knows exactly what is going to happen. The movie is predictable and the film says everything it needs to say in the first 10 minutes and doesn’t progress from there. The film is much like the movie’s main character—Young Adult starts off on fire but after the first 10 minutes just keeps put-put puttering along without knowing that it’s out of gas.
Young Adult is about Mavis Gary’s high school boyfriend, Buddy Slade (played by Patrick Wilson) who is now married with a baby. Mavis plans to drive back to her dead-end hometown and get her boyfriend back. Since Mavis was so popular in school, Mavis thinks that all she has to do is say, “come here, boy” for Buddy to come rolling back into Mavis’s arms.
The movie doesn’t seem to have much to say and is predictable all the way thru. The audience knows that Mavis won’t succeed in breaking up Buddy’s marriage and getting Buddy to fall back in love with her. The audience also knows that when Mavis feels rejected and lonely that she will shack up with the nice unpopular kid from high school, Matt (who is the most dimensional character in the film and is played by Patton Oswalt with both pity and sympathy).
Matt was a victim of a sort of hate crime when he was in high school. A bunch of bullies beat up Matt, mangled his feet, and bashed his head for being gay, even though Matt isn’t really gay (which is what makes it sort of a hate crime). Matt lives with his sister, Sandra, who is the only character in the film who admires Mavis; probably because Mavis is the girl Sandra always wishes she could be.
Mavis meets Matt is a bar and they get to talking and become somewhat friends. Matt and Mavis are both two lonely souls without a lot of friends and Mavis lean on Matt whenever she feels rejected. Mavis drives to Matt’s garage and they go out for drinks when Mavis feels the need for company.
The best scene in the film is when Mavis goes to Matt’s place after being rejected by Buddy. Mavis made a fool of herself at Buddy’s daughter’s naming. Mavis feels she needs someone to show her affection, so she goes to Matt’s house, takes off her clothes, and fornicates with Matt. Matt is lonely and horny, so he reciprocates. This scene is the most honest and genuine scene in the film. The way Matt quickly takes off his pants shows that he is eager to just have sex and might not fully care about Mavis’s feelings. And Mavis likewise takes advantage of Matt’s vulnerability. The scene of Matt and Mavis getting intimate shows a true sex scene—that sometimes people have sex with someone just because they are there and have hormonal needs and not due to feelings of love.
Unfortunately, Young Adult is just an adequate movie. The movie offers chuckles, but no guffaws. Likewise, the movie doesn’t really get too deep into the character’s psyche. It seems to want to say something profound but doesn’t do so in a way that is original, insightful, or arouses the audience’s emotions or intellect in any meaningful way.
Every director has its flaws and Young Adult is Jason Reitman’s. Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody’s previous collaboration was Juno (a great film worth seeing). Those expecting something along the lines and quality of Juno will be disappointed.
I was really looking forward to watching Young Adult since Jason Reitman is a talented filmmaker and I’ve really enjoyed his other films. Young Adult is far from awful, it just feels empty with so much lost potential. Young Adult isn’t worth spending over $10 to see in a movie theater but might be worth watching when it comes on TV and DVD. Until then, this young adult doesn’t recommend seeing Young Adult.
