Adult World (2013) User Reviews

Easy to watch but doesn't really stay with you

[twilliams76 · 5/10 · 28 March 2014]

Amy Anderson (Emma Roberts - We're the Millers) has just graduated from a nice university and has much of her life already planned out. She is going to be a celebrated, world famous poet and YOU will know her name! This Sylvia Plath fan girl wants to write like Sylvia, feel the world like Sylvia and love passionately like Sylvia ... only Amy's life isn't going as planned as she has faced rejection after rejection after rejection since her college graduation. She has even thought of making an overly-dramatic Sylvia Plath-like exit from life but Amy's stove is unfortunately electric! And so ... Amy finds herself living back home with her parents as she is in serious debt from student loans and her poetry degree severely limits her job opportunities as she has no experience in the working world. She takes the only job she can find at Adult World, an adult video/book store where she befriends a clerk (Evan Peters - 'American Horror Story') with his own outlook on life.

While Amy has realized she must work to make some money, she hasn't given up on her dream of writing and so has decided to stalk an aging punk poet with a bad attitude named Rat Billings (John Cusack - 2012) who she hopes can mentor her and help her eventually one day get published. The reclusive writer doesn't take well to being followed but Amy doesn't let that stop her from absorbing everything she can from this man she highly admires ... most likely because he is nearby and has been published. Yes ... poor Amy.

The film is nothing spectacular but it kept my interest during its entire (short -- just over an hour and a half) runtime as it is a cross between High Fidelity and Wonder Boys (although not as good as either of those). While Amy may annoy, we can still feel her plight as she is welcomed into the Adult World and begins learning the lessons of life that actually matter.

Cloris Leachman co-stars as the quirky (surprise!!) owner of Adult World. And Cusack -- who seems to only make straight-to-DVD titles anymore -- has one of his best roles in years here.

Not a great comedy, but not a bad movie.

[MizzNijna · 7/10 · 18 February 2014]

Don't go to this movie and expect a grand comedy, the jokes are not piled on to one another with just enough room between them for you to catch your breath.

I had never heard of this movie and just watched it because I love John Cusack, and when I became aware of it's existence I didn't read anything about it before watching (I like to do that, go in to a movie blank in mind, not expecting anything) and I found it to be a sweet movie. It's not the best movie ever, but it is not the worst. It had it's LOL- moments but they were few although not out of place, when I later watched IMDb and saw it was ranked as a comedy and not a drama I was dumbfounded. I would rank it as a comedy/drama at least.

Emma Roberts character felt a little ambiguous at times. And it was weird but actually really refreshing to see John Cusack in the role of the asshole, not a role he often plays without humor attached to it.

It's a movie well worth the watch, if you only keep an open mind to it going in. And I really liked it for what it was, a sweet movie about a girl trying to follow her dreams.

Not Entertaining but Not Bad

[dansview · 6/10 · 24 January 2016]

I'm not familiar with Emma Roberts. But I thought she was quite effective here. I totally bought her rendition of a clueless college kid with lots of "feelings."

It was a tad depressing to see a depiction of another brainless kid with massive college loan debt and no knowledge of anything under the sun. Why do parents buy into that scam. At least here the parents try to point out the danger of her absurd and spoiled pursuit. But of course they coddled her and bankrolled it for years.

The other silly notion that liberal arts grads. carry around is that they were all meant to do something unique and special. Cusack's character has some of the best lines in the movie when he reminds her that not everyone is talented or destined for greatness.

Congratulations to the writers for also having the young male lead remind our girl that she was a worthless, lazy employee and an elitist. With the help of these good friends, she manages to learn something.

We later learn that the young male lead has his own hobbies and passions which this self-absorbed pixie never bothered to inquire about. But it was refreshing that she was a virgin and that the young man took time to really get to know her.

I also appreciate the Syracuse in Winter setting. Like I've said in other reviews, not every movie has to take place in some glamorous mainstream city. There are plenty of human stories taking shape in gray places that no one would otherwise think about if they weren't the setting in a movie.

There's not much memorable music here, which is fine, because it was a dialogue and character-driven half-comedy. I don't need Indie mood music for such a film.

There are no sexy scenes worth mentioning by the way. Roberts goes without makeup and our old mentor played by Cusack is refreshingly not a "perv."

Nah

[silmaril-6 · 16 May 2014]

Am I the only one here who's literally blown AWAY from this movie by Emma's performance? Although I liked the premise, the main character is completely over the top,annoying, boring and unfunny. Or Emma Roberts just made her that way... She keeps playing that same type of girl recently and it wouldn't be a problem at all if that type of girl isn't painfully annoying. I generally like coming of age movies, just last night I've watched Bitchkram, which is heartwarming although the main character is supposed to be annoying and bitchy. In Adult world main character supposed to be cute and likable, but she's everything but that. So I just gave up watching at one point, because I couldn't care less what will happen to her.

representation of the 2010s

[lee_eisenberg · 7/10 · 21 September 2014]

I viewed Scott Coffey's "Adult World" as a representation of the problems facing college-age people in the 2010s. Aspiring poet Amy has bills to pay but can't pay them, so she has to take a job in an adult bookstore. Millions of college graduates have thousands of dollars in student loans, and many of them can't even find jobs in their field of study. The unpayable loans are likely to become the next bubble to burst.

That's not the movie's main story. It focuses on Amy's relationship with a renowned poet. Even though that's the main story, I found it to be a good movie. It does give a feeling of the frustration among the millennials. I recommend the movie, and it looks to me as though Emma Roberts (Julia's niece) is turning out to be a good actress.

Beginning to enjoy comedies

[rls154 · 7/10 · 19 February 2014]

Too many movies use a Christmas backdrop, with cold/snow/snowing, for whatever desired effect it can bring to the audience. Which can be many, varied, and (at times) successful. "Adult World" uses the weather elements, alone, as an enhancement to the overall story. Including, but not limited to, the defining of the the human condition (think -"White Bird") without the need to resort to holiday spirit as a smoothing effect for lack of quality.

John Cusack adds polish to any film, and Emma Roberts has that girl next door,l wanna be next to/outgoing/cuteness when in character. Somewhat similar to Mellisa Joan Hart. So it's a bit disheartening for me to see her (mildly) beginning to be sexually exploited, but I figure that comes with the territory in Hollywood. Not that all young actresses succumb to it. But remember I've been viewing her since "Unfabulose" so again, in character, I guess I'm a bit bias towards her sweetness.

Nevertheless, I did hear she has problems waiting on long lines - and I don't mean fictitious book signings.

Struggles of a Budding Young Poet

[lavatch · 6/10 · 21 September 2022]

"Adult World" featured a strong central character which was well-acted by Emma Roberts. Amy is a young college graduate burdened with debt yet seeking to share her inner world to humanity as a poet.

If the film was not a coming-of-age film, it was at least and overcoming-all-obstacles yarn and a learning experience in the cold and heartless real world. There was some good humor interjected when Amy takes a job in an adult video store, as she is clearly the most unlikely candidate for such a job.

There filmmakers created an interesting set of characters around Amy, including Alex in the Adult World shop, the charismatic Rubia, and the poet named Rat Billings, whom Amy idolizes.

It was disappointing that the filmmakers chose to portray Rat Billings as unnecessarily cruel. Instead of actually mentoring Amy, Rat belittled and humiliated her. It was clear that she had passion as a writer, something that Rat could have learned from his protégé.

While there was an effective, sentimental ending, the film included too much padding. There was not a careful balance between outright farcical scenes and a gritty realism which at one point led Amy to contemplate taking her life. The strength of the film was the sparkling character development of Amy, who retained her idealism through every one of her ordeals.

Subtly Amusing

[PulpSomething · 6/10 · 20 January 2024]

Well, the headline says it all, I was subtly amused at times, and the movie did a good job of it.

The film is about honesty, creative integrity -I think-, about the fact that being honest with oneself is perhaps one of the most difficult things that anyone can do, to themselves.

The protagonist is lost, hasn't a clue about what it is to be honest about her art, self absorbed and full of it but with the help of the people around her, she learns to grow, and realizes that in the end, we can't all be great, but we can all be true to ourselves.

I believe the movie is worth the watch, it's a fun little ride, and albeit the ending lingers for a couple of beats more than it should, in the end this little piece of work has a lot to say.

So if you're thinking about this one, do it, and enjoy the ride for what it is, and I think you'll also find yourself subtly amused from time to time.

The pits

[SillyPuddy · 2/10 · 15 July 2015]

What a stinker this was! Not sure where all the praise for Emma Roberts comes from but she came off as an adolescent teenager in this one rather than a young adult. I lost track of where she was living throughout the movie (actually I stopped caring). Shannon Woodward had a throwaway role that was a complete waste of her talent. John Cusack and Evan Peters were the only thing making this watchable. The scenes with her family made no sense and were merely a plot device. This movie is just tedious and seems to go nowhere. The adult store was hardly explored and could of led to some real fun but instead fell flat. I mean talk about dull customers, that is the best they could come up with? Maybe Shannon Woodward should of played a customer.

An 80's film shot in 2013

[nikos-19 · 6/10 · 31 January 2020]

Indifferent, without power to the script, with rather procedural interpretations. Directing without inspiration, a scenario without some genuine originality, would make some sense in the conservative society of the '80s, but 2-3 decades later it is rather indifferent.

so boring

[ruklick55 · 3/10 · 1 January 2018]

I am a big fan of emma Roberts and John Cusack as well. This movie is simply boring and does not go anywhere interesting. The only reason that I was able to watch the entire film was because I wanted to see if it went anywhere. This is my very first review and I was motivated because this movie was so bland. People will watch almost anything, myself included.

Cutie Patootie

[lowrysamuel4 · 8/10 · 19 March 2014]

This was just an adorable little independent film. Cusack gives his best Cusack-esque performance. Emma Roberts is also enchanting. Is the film perfect, or near? Not really, but there are some nice, actually very funny scenes sprinkled throughout. The idea is unique one. While is structure has been done, the coming of age straight out of college story, and also seems to be hot right now in most youth culture films. I believe that with some quirky, interesting scenes, the picture is very entertaining and very funny. I always encourage Emma Roberts to keep working because she really does have some talent and just needs to break out of the teen star typecast. Overall I enjoyed it and thought it was great for what it was.

A bit too flat

[lalacatylala · 6/10 · 16 April 2014]

As soon as I saw the Sylvia Plath poster in the first scene and the references to the poet's life I knew it was going to be a movie I would enjoy, but sadly that ended up raising my expectations a little too much for this kind of film. Emma Roberts fits perfectly for this role and one thing I did like about the movie is that each character has a very defined and particular personality. The audience gets too see Amy which is desperate to get some renounced attention as a poet and creates a relationship with her favorite local poet, which is played by John Cusack. After all, Amy grows up and learns that things are not always what they seem and sometimes you just have to cope with failure. The movie which is about poetry, lacked poetic depth.

The world seen by the eyes of an immature girl

[adi_2002 · 5/10 · 15 June 2014]

Amy dreams to become a successful poem writer. For this to be accomplished she needs money and someone to guide her. So she looks for a job and finds one at an adult shop. Forced by circumstances she accepts. Her parent doesn't know about this and after a fuss in witch Amy wants to have more liberty and the desire to be free and not be treated as a little girl, runs away from home and goes to live with Rubia, a transsexual that she mets at her new workplace. Destiny makes that she will be in a more warm relationship with her favorite poet that she sees him as a mentor. Rat offers his advice to her but soon finds out that his number one fan may not be 100% sane and decides to dedicate a special book just to her.

In this movie Emma Roberts is very irritating and annoying, we have to assist at her nerve attacks. Of course take part of her role and she is convincing, in fact she is a talented actress but maybe this part is not very suitable with her capacities. The film is watchable still the action takes place in small steps. It's the kind of picture that you can watch 15 minutes and FF another 15 and you will not miss anything. In fact if you view 30 minutes then continue the next day with another 30 and you finish the film in the third day, it may be more bearable.

"Forever Consists of Now."

[rmax304823 · 6/10 · 26 September 2017]

That gloriously transparent quote is from Emily Dickenson. Would that the movie itself were equally transparent. On the surface it's about a young girl, Emma Roberts, who is extremely appealing, who wants to become a poet,convinced of her talent, who insinuates her way into the life of an older once-successful poet,John Cusack, and becomes his protogé. For while anyway.

It's fundamentally an Entwiklungs story -- a naive girl leaves her suburban home and takes a job in an adult book store, is introduced to oddball characters, learns to smoke dope, shed her search for ultimate beauty and incorruptibility, and live in the unfolding moment.

I was unable to watch the end but it was fairly clear where it was headed. I'd be surprised if: (1) Emma Roberts doesn't find that the source of true art lies within one's self; (2) John Cusack doesn't get over his brooding and rediscover his self confidence; (3) Roberts doesn't wind up with the quietly practical, practically quiet, boy who works in the same adult book store, Evan Peters; and (4) Roberts never reconciles with her parents, with whom she quarrels constantly and whose house she left in a low dudgeon.

There are some memorable features on display here. One can't help notice that Emma Roberts is truly an attractively winsome young lady who may in fact be able to deliver a good performance. It's hard to tell from this single example. Another is that I'm sure glad I turned down that offer of a teaching job at Syracuse University because the movie illustrates exactly how sepulchral the weather and architecture of the city are. Another is that the film seems aimed at an audience, mostly female, of Roberts' age, who have not yet come face to face with urban debauchery only to fine that it's really pretty human underneath all that iconoclastic bluster. The cross-dressing homosexual Hispanic hair dresser turns out to be a somewhat nice guy.

The movie is no masterpiece but it's well written for the message it carries and will probably keep your interest until the end.

Not terrible, just mediocre

[Phil_Chester · 29 May 2018]

This would be a one-or-two-star disaster, were it not for the presence of John Cusack to elevate it. I've been ruminating on what makes this so bad. The script is only mediocre, not awful, so the thing that really brings the whole film down is the casting. If they had cast actors with more imagination, they would have been able to bring a little more life to this dull material and made the film at least a 5-star average. As it is, this is mediocre at best and certainly not worth watching, unless you're a Cusack completist.

Good Movie with Twist

[baharuka · 7/10 · 4 May 2014]

I saw Adult World by chance on a movie channel. I like Emma Roberts and her natural character(no loads of make-up, no fancy clothes) got me interested in the movie which itself has a casual vibe. She plays Amy, wanna be poet with questionable talent and no life experience who ends up working at a sex shop- which she thinks is inferior to her talent. But from that shop, a new life is born and that will give her a few lessons.

The story is realistic, so is the ending, something you can't always find in big budget movies. There's also a brutal twist which I really liked. Emma Roberts portrays the enthusiastic, hot tempered Amy so well and all other actors do a good job. I especially liked Armando Riesco's take on Rubia, the cross-dresser Amy makes friends with. If you're looking for love, it's also included nicely. Overall, I had fun.

I'd love to direct a film like this

[johnnymax4 · 7/10 · 21 March 2014]

As a media student, when i finished watching this movie i felt like i wanted to direct a movie like this one. i like all kinds of movies but for me, these kind of movies always stood out. There's no Science fiction, thrilling scenes, Hi-speed chases, fantasy..etc. but still enjoyable. It was just a flow of an adult girl's life which might sound awfully boring when u listen to the story line, but to my surprise it was well a really good movie. i wasn't bored at all. this is what i'd love to do. Without any commercial add-on's i'd like to direct a movie with a simple plot and keep the audience entertained. This was a movie of that kind. I really liked this movie a lot. I like Emma Roberts a lot since "WILD CHILD" maybe that's also a reason i loved this movie. She was really good at this movie too. And John Cusak played an eminent role which i really loved. every other character was well portrayed too. Speaking for myself..this is a good movie. And i also would recommend this movie for everyone..especially for Emma's fans.! ;) _Max

A coming of age comedy that doesn't stick in the throat.

[ConsistentlyFalconer · 7/10 · 21 July 2015]

An easy-to-watch little gem, this.

Emma Roberts gives a strong leading performance as an over-confident, incredibly naïve young poet. Evan Peters is as charmingly cool and likable as ever; Armando Riesco plays his role as a human being, not a caricature... John Cusack, naturally, plays John Cusack, but he plays him very very well.

Speaking of Cusack's character, I'm delighted that the message that he gives our heroine is not the usual "You can be whoever you want to be" claptrap you tend to find in these films. Because of the central premise - one's adult talent doesn't necessarily lie where our childhood dreams wish it did - Amy's relationship with her parents is real and heartbreaking. You really feel for them more than anybody, despite their short screen time.

yetanotherfilmreviewblog.tumblr.com

Not a movie, it's a metaphor...

[A_Different_Drummer · 5/10 · 17 February 2014]

... for Emma Roberts' career. I mean, I am looking at some of the earlier reviews here and I am thinking, I must be in a parallel dimension, I don't think I saw the same film they did...? The film I saw is a mid-level Indie with a weak script, a weak premise, and a seriously miscast John Cusack (whose agent did, however, manage to wrangle him top billing) and -- the one redeeming quality -- a major star-in-the-making still looking desperately for the film that will put her over the top. But this 'aint it. Gotta give the writer credit for having the guts to start a story this flawed with a suicide scene, and then segue to an overlong, drawn-out, and boring flashback. Talk about irony! There are so many things wrong with this production, so many tiny micro-intervals where the viewer would rather have a root canal than watch the next scene roll out, that is easier to focus on the only good thing in the picture. Roberts. News flash. Emma Roberts is no longer a teenager and her days of playing the wide-eyed ingénue in a series of endless reaction shots are coming to end. (Although she still looks much younger than she is, but that is genetics, not acting.) Yet she is still charming, charismatic, engaging, eager and capable. Essentially a major actress in waiting. If she were one of the English "Royals" for example you would be wondering who has to die so she can take the title? For Emma Roberts fans, this movie may be a collectors item. For everyone else, if you take it at face value, you will end up wishing the opening scene (explained above) had ended differently.

Surprisingly good movie

[thehandler8382 · 7/10 · 16 July 2014]

I thought this movie was going to be bad. Like the other review on this movie i too was kept watching. I love Emma Roberts so that could be the reason why but i also think i was rooting for her to succeed in making her dream come true. The back and forth between her and Cusack was entertaining. Emma Roberts does a great job at inspiring you to strive for success in whatever it is that you want to do in life. There were a few scenes that made me laugh. Its worth watching to see if it suits your taste in movies. You will be surprised to find that you are able to watch it all the way through. Emma Roberts pretty face helped to keep watching too. She is a beautiful and talented actress.

Naively romantic

[mvassilis · 5/10 · 22 September 2019]

It's a watchable film but reminds me of a past era where Kevin Smith was making originally naive-like movies.. but were cult and are still considered an indie-original nostalgic concept .. This one feels repetitive and more suited for a Beverly Hills 90210 season ..

Delightfully out of the box (no pun intended)

[StevePulaski · 8/10 · 18 January 2014]

There is a scene in Scott Coffey's Adult World involving a transgender male and a devout and somewhat psychotic poet riding a bike made for two chasing after an elusive poet who is speeding away in a car so that the psychotic poet can make another attempt at talking to her biggest influence and showing just how weirdly intrusive she can be.

Stating that scene and that scene only to a person would make them think said film is nothing but a desperate little comedy, when in reality, Adult World is another one of those films that is actually wise and thoughtful but dressed up in stupid people's clothes. Seems I'm running into this unfortunate predicament a lot. The problem with this kind of filmmaking tactic, whether it's intentional or unintentional, is that it has the potential of alienating those who need to see the film the most.

The film focuses on a recent college graduate named Amy (Emma Roberts, whom I never tired of seeing). A poetry major who has racked up over $90k in student loans, Amy wishes she could make a living verbalizing whatever comes to her mind and carry on with a relatively safe but fulfilling life. However, reality - and her parents - prohibit this dream from happening, so Amy must get a real job, and with little options, she accepts a job at Adult World, the local provider of vibrators, sex dolls, pornographic movies, sex toys, lube, etc.

Amy is repulsed at first, as she's always kind of sheltered herself from the icky realms of human pleasure and sexual exploration, but she quickly befriends the charming Alex (Evan Peters), who shares some of her interests as well as her circumstances. Amy, however, is desperate in trying to win the attention of Rat Billings (John Cusack), one of her favorite poets who has recently come to town. She pesters Rat, constantly invading his privacy and bugging him, until he offers her a position as his assistant at Syracuse University.

The three main actors rarely misstep in their performances, however, the character of Amy is definitely skating on thin ice in terms of acceptability. Amy, when by herself or with Alex, is fine, but when she's in the company of Rat, she becomes obsessive, hyper, and borderline psychotic. The problem with that is not only is that this side of her is annoying but it lessens her realism as this fanatical behavior is not the kind you'd think she'd be doing. It's almost like she suffers from multiple-personality disorder.

And again, there's a sort of convention to the material, despite the film's characters being relatively unique. Then there's a transgender character that is nothing more than a character to have to muster up some shock amongst audience members. But the thing that sets Adult World apart from other dramas is that it doesn't hesitate to explore the blessing and the curse that is being creative in contemporary America. In a country that is advanced predominately by scientific, mathematical, and technological milestones and achievements, opportunities, let alone viable ones, for liberal arts, poets, English, or writers are scarce. It's almost as if in an increasingly complex world, those who attempt to define it aren't wanted.

It's a sad fact and Adult World pleasantly recognizes it, giving us a likable protagonist who is good at what she does - confident, amiable, and always friendly - but burdened by a lack of opportunities. She has bravely majored in poetry, but is now facing reality in that the only potentially-lucrative job for her is a published author, but good luck getting someone to read your work. And, oh yeah, here's a bill near six-figures for that college education too.

I plan on attending college this fall as an English major with a minor in a business field, perhaps marketing. I'm completely unsure of where those fields will get me and those like me are probably equally unsure. Adult World is a film for those types of people to see - people who know what they want to be, know what they like, and have found a passion at a young age, but are tragically low on opportunities.

Starring: Emma Roberts, John Cusack, and Evan Peters. Directed by: Scott Coffey.

Emma Roberts good try-hard stalker but not good as clueless virgin

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 29 July 2016]

Amy Anderson (Emma Roberts) is a college poetry student. Fellow student Josh tries to trick her into a sex tape. Her parents cut her off and she is forced to get a job. The virgin Amy reluctantly takes a job at the sex shop Adult World run by elderly couple Mary Anne and Stan. Alex (Evan Peters) is the manager. Amy is obsessed with writer Rat Billings (John Cusack). Her car is stolen but her insurance is void because the money her parents gave her for insurance has been spent on failed poetry contests. She runs away from home and crashes with transgender Rubia. She gets kicked out and rents a house with friend Candace (Shannon Woodward) near Billings.

Emma Roberts is good at the try-hard obsessive-stalker Amy character. The problem is the character has other aspects that doesn't really work. She's supposed to be a clueless virginal innocent. Roberts hasn't been that since as a child star in her TV show. Her character starts by hooking up with Josh at a college party. She's not so clueless that she doesn't know why the video gets sticky. The movie wants her to be wacky funny in some instances and it doesn't always work. Her obsessive stalking of John Cusack is pretty good and filled with fun. This movie is not as funny as it wants to be.

A movie about poetry, itself lacks much of poetry.

[sadhukhan-pri · 4/10 · 25 November 2015]

Why do people attempt metaphor when they clearly don't understand it! A so-so plot ruined by bad acting and direction. A movie about poetry, lacks so much of it. The director needs to educate himself about camera, and the editor needs to educate himself about cuts to be able to say anything.

The over usage of hand-held cameras, is just annoying and wrong. When one cuts directly to a hand-held camera's footage, it immediately implies that it is a characters perspective. Which the reading in Rat's class scene, clearly isn't.

Why keep Sylvia Plath poster in the same shot as when the audience and the character itself is calling herself a "whore". If the poster was placed much higher, with a wide-angle shot, it would have made some sense, here in the way it's done in the movie is plain ridiculous. As far as the movie's premise is concerned where the character is established to be toying with the idea of suicide has no impact whatsoever. As a result there is no curiosity built to learn more about the character by the audience ... Hence the premise gravely defeats its purpose.

The only thing that manages to keep the film somewhat afloat is John Cusack's acting. All and all, the makers of the movie may have an appreciation for poetry in general, but clearly lack the knowledge of cinema vocabulary.