Director: Miguel Arteta
Starring: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday & Ray Liotta
A very funny comedy, off beat in its tone and featuring an enjoyable performance from Cera who manages to subvert his usually nerdy persona with impressive and hilarious result.
While seemingly another teen comedy featuring Michael Cera in the neurotic, nerdy persona he crafted in TV series Arrested Development and employed, mostly, to good effect in films like Superbad and Juno, Youth in Revolt, directed by Miguel Arteta (of Chuck and Buck fame) surprises by being somewhat more dark and daring than what has been expected from Cera previously. Based on the novel of the same name, Youth in Revolt is surprisingly witty, enjoyable and features an impressive cast of indie and comedic talent.
Shy, neurotic virgin Nick Twisp (Cera), is unhappy with his lonely life and in living with his mother and her latest boyfriend. When one of that boyfriend’s business ventures goes bad, the family get away for a while at a trailer park where Nick meets Sheeni Saunders (Doubleday), a smart, beautiful girl who, unlike other girls, actually enjoys spending time with Nick. When Nick finds his feelings surprisingly returned by Sheeni, he finds himself dragged away when his mother moves him back home. Nick realises his only way to get back to Sheeni is to get kicked out of his mother’s home so he can live with his father and be closer to Sheeni so creates an alternate bad boy persona in Francois but Nick soon finds himself in trouble with the law and the road to being reunited with Sheeni filled with obstacles including Sheeni’s ex-boyfriend, her devoutly religious parents and those out to punish him for his misdeeds.
Youth in Revolt is an expected delight. Much of the enjoyment is had from Cera’s onscreen persona being twisted to find new depths in the creation of his character Nick’s alter ego Francois (also played by Cera). Nick, a boy who considers himself to be cultured and finding enjoyment in foreign films of an older era, crafts his alter ego to appear louche in the style of French New Wave bad boys. Effeminate in his walk, with a pencil thin moustache and a dislike of authority, Francois contrasts Nick perfectly leading to many hilarious moments when Nick loses control over his alter ego to the detriment of his own life. While some situations Nick finds himself border on unbelievable, they are delivered in an almost dead pan style that it enhances the humour more than crude slapstick delivery could accomplish. With a sharp script too, Youth in Revolt features many scenes and lines to be fondly remembered.
A lot of the enjoyment of Youth in Revolt lies with its cast and their performances. While featuring an impressive line up of talent in supporting roles such as Steve Buscemi (as Nick’s father), Fred Willard, Justin Long, Zach Galifianakis and Ray Liotta, Michael Cera manages to impress more than any in the leading roles of Nick and Francois. While the more familiar aspects of Cera’s on screen persona are ever present in his portrayal of Nick which does, on occasion, remind you of Cera’s other roles, Cera’s performance as bad boy Francois is superb. Cera seems to relish the chance to be bad and gives Francois plenty of arrogant swagger in his movements and disdain for others in his attitude that, in comparison to Cera’s performance as Nick, we are given a highly enjoyable double act. Portia Doubleday is also excellent as a French New Wave style love interest oozing intelligence and sex appeal being both seductive yet also frustratingly aloof and difficult to satisfy. It is a fun performance and one that sets Doubleday apart from usual nice girl roles and actresses usually appearing in teenage comedies.
An excellent performance from Cera exploiting and subverting his on screen persona to excellent, hilarious effect, Youth in Revolt is a highly enjoyable and sharp comedy and proof that Cera is not a one trick act.
Rating: 4/5
