Michael Cera — the young American actor of Juno, Superbad and Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist — seems doomed to play versions of the same awkward youth forever. Is it because he can’t do anything else? Or, more likely, that no one will let him?
Whatever, he’s a fresh enough performer to hold centre stage in comedies like this. Youth in Revolt presents us, yet again, with a teenager desperate to do something about his virginity but unable to fathom how to accomplish the task.
Taken from a bestseller by C D Payne, Miguel Arteta’s artful and amusing film takes out the insurance of Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, Justin Long and Fred Willard in character parts and has a smart screenplay from Gustin Nash. The only downside is the amorphous playing of Portia Doubleday as Sheeni, the object of his lust whom Nick (Cera) sets his sights on.
On their first meeting, the pair end up discussing the delights of Jean-Paul Belmondo and Yashiro Ozu. Such outré choices seem unlikely for a boy brought up in a broken-down trailer and a girl whose parents are deeply religious denizens of a smart new mobile home. But never mind. The couple, both of whom want to experience life with a capital L, embark on a series of capers which involves Cera playing two parts — both the hesitant Nick and his French alter ego, François, who encourages him to go for it like a dowager’s gigolo in the Côte d’Azur.
In the end, success is his but not before Liotta, as an over-friendly policeman, has his way with mother, Buscemi as his father refuses to give him an allowance and his best friend shows him how to do it with a rather more perky girl than Doubleday.
Youth In Revolt
Cert: 15
