Youth in Revolt

Michael Cera is a great actor, and this movie is no different. Youth in Revolt is more subtle than you would think, given the title and premise.

Nick is a 16 year old with not many friends, a screwed up family, and worst of all, he is a virgin. Upon meeting Sheeni, he falls in love with her instantly, and will do anything to be with her. This involves creating an alter ego, and becoming an outlaw.

My only real complaint is that it seemed to me that they put just enough F-words in this to get it rated R. The swearing could have been cut down to make this PG-13, to appeal to a broader audience.

This is a simple teen comedy, but adults will like it too, it's very well written with a good plot, good actors that fit their characters, and plenty of laughs. Check it out, you won't regret it.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed this film, laughed throughout in fact, but as a whole I have to be critical. Including in comparison to other films similar to its nature and when it comes to films involving teens and sex, there are many to choose from. It's been a done a million times, so it's nice to see refreshing and moderately realistic scenario and character interaction, like that of "Superbad" or "Juno". The cast, for one thing is damn amazing. There are many excellent actors, like Steve Buscemi and Ray Liotta, both did wonderfully. Zack Galifianakis and Justin Long were very well into their characters and I loved them on screen. A lot of the characters are pretty memorable, an aspect I enjoyed. I enjoyed seeing the character interaction which is the key to film-making at the base of it all. But Michael Cera as the awkward-nobody is beyond overdone. Sorry, but at this point I've seen too many times. Only when he's donning the Francois persona do I admire his performance and really embrace him as a character.

Not to mention the whole plot at a glance makes his character seem rather pathetic really. He steals cars, travels hundreds of miles, sabotages the girl's education, among many other ridiculous things all for one girl who half the time doesn't really seem to care about him that much. It's a love story I just can't connect with despite my attempts to. So check this one out for some crude laughs but not a masterpiece by any means.

C+

Nothing is worse than knowing that you have met the girl of your dreams only to find out she has a boyfriend that is so unbelievably superior to you that you have no chance to win her over. That is exactly what happens to Nick Twisp (Michael Cera), but instead of meekly accepting his fate like a good little nerd he decides to fight back by creating a persona his French-loving would-be girlfriend cannot resist, Francois Dillinger. Francois appears periodically throughout the film to offer advice and, more often, take control of the situation by flagrantly defying authority or bringing his bad boy machismo into play.

I imagine Francois is what every stock French resistance fighter was like when he was sixteen with no war to fight; well dressed in gleaming white slacks and sandals, sporting a casual-looking button down shirt, but with a thin mustache and cigarette to add mystery and mystique. The very image of Francois makes me laugh. This also happens to be the only movie where parents are the unknowing consumers of illicit narcotics and it is actually funny.

It's a good thing that comedies are slowly coming out of the stereotypes like cliché characters, fake emotions and boring all happy too long meaningless endings. Don't be fooled that this is movie for teens only; there is lot more here going on.

Great transformation by Michael Cera, well developed main and supporting characters and very funny appearances by excellent and proved actors. The story is simple but goes through many changes in it making it unique in its genre, successfully escaping the traps set by the movies that have already told this story. This movie like the previous ones has hilarious situations and that is the only resemblance, but apart from them it has developed romance, real emotions, smart and funny dialogs and is more mature.

"Youth in Revolt" is original. It's not quite like any "teen movie" I've ever seen. Just as its source material offered a fresh twist to the dork-meets-girl scenario in ink, the film offers the twist on screen.

"Youth in Revolt" centers on unconventional teenage rebels; these aren't the hoodlums you'd expect to see smoking pot on street corners. In fact, these characters are essentially adults trapped in awkward teenage frames. They have sophisticated tastes and profound desires, but they also carry themselves clumsily and desperately try to shed their virginity. This mature immaturity makes both Nick (Cera) and Sheeni (Doubleday), along with a number of minor characters they meet throughout the film, compelling and unique human beings.

As Nick Twisp, Michael Cera carries the film. His awkwardly clever narration provides for fairly consistent laughter, and his quest for Sheeni's heart puts him through a dramatic ringer. As good as Cera is as lovable loser Nick, nothing can prepare the audience for his work as Twisp's alter-ego: Francois Dillinger. Dillinger is the anti-Nick, which also makes him the anti-Michael Cera, but Cera pulls off his boldness and iron will hilariously. Cera's dual performance keeps the film fresh when it begins to get a little dull.

As Sheeni, the primary love interest, Portia Doubleday concocts an unconventional leading lady. She seems to embody every characteristic of the female teenager at the same time, and it's not hard to see why Nick would idolize her.

The film focuses on Cera and Doubleday for the most part, and their relationship is strange, and therefore refreshing. Clichés are avoided, unexpected roadblocks pop up, and teenage love rears its ugly, fascinating face. The romance seems real, as well as funny.

When 'Youth in Revolt" turns its focus away from the youths, it's hit-or-miss. Jean Smart is fine as Cera's aloof mother, but the character itself is one-dimensional and strangely conventional for such a nonconformist movie. Steve Buscemi is fine as the father, but he's not given much to do. The standouts among the supporting players include Fred Willard as an immigrant-phile, Justin Long as Sheeni's stoner brother, Mary Kay Place as Sheeni's Bible-wielding mother, and the two unknowns who portray Nick's friends, Lefty and BJ.

Aside from a couple of intentionally quirky animated sequences and one or two clichéd stock characters, "Youth in Revolt" plays by its own rules, and it wins marvelously.