Doppelgangbanger

First let us stop to note that so overconfident were the marketers of the film version Youth In Revolt (2009) that although I was aware it was based on a popular series of novels, that it had two Michael Ceras, one Zach Galifianakis, a Jean Smart, a Fred Willard, Justin Long straying from his Longitude, and a Ray Liotta, I was happily stunned to find Steve Buscemi on hand to play Cera's miserable louse of a father. I mean, c'mon--you can't keep us Buscemi fans in the dark like that and expect to have a successful indie film!

The best thing about the film is seeing Michael Cera in a non-Cera role, that of Francois (left above), who is charming and destructive cad. The worst thing about the film is how toothless it makes teen rebellion. After wreaking havoc in as many directions as possible, everything turns out all right in the end, and after all, those kids just have to rebel, don't they? Maybe this made more sense in the novel, where Nick Twisp was 14. Now he's 16, but looks 22, which makes his light treatment by authorities seem strange. Is the moral of this story make sure you blow up cars and buildings before you're 18, so you can enjoy it without going to jail?

Clearly this film was made a while ago, and Michael Cera is going to need to come up with a new character--we don't want to see an insecure over-educated teenager using a walker to go pick up his social security check. And he's clearly younger in this film than the more poised film star appearing in Paper Heart. (By the way, that makes two films that feature both Michael Cera and animation--one of my criticisms of Youth in Revolt is the animation left on the cutting room floor. Although--if you are checking out outtakes on the DVD, be sure and see Jerry's heart attack. Worth the price of admission.) He hasn't worn out his welcome yet, but he'll need to be careful soon. (By the same token, Emmet Walsh is too old to be your girlfriend's father. Grandfather, maybe. Otherwise, explanations are in order.) I propose that he and Justin Long re-team and co-star in something, maybe a triangle with Ellen Page.

And can we declare a moratorium on pretentious and vindictive blond preppy boyfriends? We've all seen Animal House, the character is now 30 years old, it's time to give that stereotype a rest. Most blond preppy boyfriends aren't bright enough in real life to come up with these diabolical plans to trip up the hero.

Meanwhile, there is Jean Smart's incredible timing, Buscemi being Buscemi, and Fred Willard passed out in his underwear, high on mushrooms.

I know I'm not the target audience for this movie, but I'd much rather teens had this to see than another "I Know What The Sexy Vampires Did" or "Transformers Part XVII." In fact, I wish I'd been something like this when I was wondering if I'd ever have a girlfriend.