Young Adult (2011)

Director:

Jason Reitman

Writer (WGA):

Diablo Cody (written by)

Release Date:

16 December 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

Everyone gets old. Not everyone grows up

Plot:

Soon after her divorce, a fiction writer returns to her home in small-town Minnesota, looking to rekindle a romance with her ex-boyfriend, who is now happily married and has a newborn daughter.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Minnesota | Classmate | Alcoholic | Baby

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

Charlize Theron	...	Mavis Gary
Patton Oswalt	...	Matt Freehauf
Patrick Wilson	...	Buddy Slade
Elizabeth Reaser	...	Beth Slade
Collette Wolfe	...	Sandra Freehauf
Jill Eikenberry	...	Hedda Gary
Richard Bekins	...	David Gary
Mary Beth Hurt	...	Jan
Kate Nowlin	...	Mary Ellen Trantowski
Jenny Dare Paulin	...	Nipple Confusion Bassist
Rebecca Hart	...	Nipple Confusion Guitarist
Louisa Krause	...	Front Desk Girl
Elizabeth Ward Land	...	Sales Lady
Brian McElhaney	...	Book Associate
Hettienne Park	...	Vicki
John Forest	...	Wheelchair Mike
Rightor Doyle	...	Babysitter
Brady Smith	...	Date Man
Timothy Young	...	Champions Server
Erin Darke	...	Teen Employee
Jee Young Han	...	Teen Employee
Ella Rae Peck	...	Girl
Aleisha Allen	...	Girl (as Aleisha Lanae Allen)
Matt Wilson	...	Teenage Clerk
Orlagh Cassidy	...	Party Guest
Charles Techman	...	Parking Attendant
Emily Meade	...	Denny's Waitress
Neil Hellegers	...	Young Dad
Michael Nathanson	...	Champions Greeter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Landyn Banx	...	Business Person (uncredited)
Julie E. Davis	...	Shopper (uncredited)
Fredrika Dukes	...	Business Person (uncredited)
Devon A Early	...	Denny's Customer (uncredited)
John Edel	...	Businessman in Skyway (uncredited)
Kirsten Gregerson	...	Business Person (uncredited)
Rosemary Howard	...	Guest at Baby Naming Party (uncredited)
Eric Jon Pierson	...	Restaurant Patron (uncredited)
J.K. Simmons	...	Mavis's Publisher (uncredited)
Joel Thingvall	...	Businessman in Skyway (uncredited)

Directed by
Jason Reitman

Writing credits (WGA)
Diablo Cody		(written by)

Produced by
Brian Bell	....	line producer
Jason Blumenfeld	....	associate producer (as Jason A. Blumenfeld)
Diablo Cody	....	producer
Helen Estabrook	....	executive producer
Lianne Halfon	....	producer
Nathan Kahane	....	executive producer
Beth Kono	....	co-producer
Kelli Konop	....	co-producer
Mary Lee	....	co-producer
John Malkovich	....	executive producer
Mason Novick	....	producer
Steven M. Rales	....	executive producer (as Steven Rales)
Jason Reitman	....	producer
Russell Smith	....	producer
Charlize Theron	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Rolfe Kent

Cinematography by
Eric Steelberg		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Dana E. Glauberman

Casting by
Jessica Kelly
Suzanne Smith		(as Susanne Smith Crowley)

Production Design by
Kevin Thompson

Art Direction by
Michael Ahern

Set Decoration by
Carrie Stewart

Costume Design by
David C. Robinson		(as David Robinson)

Makeup Department
Mary Aaron	....	key makeup artist (as Mary R. Aaron)
Deanna Johnson	....	hair assistant: Minneapolis (as Deanna L. Johnson)
Maureen Landa	....	makeup assistant: Minneapolis (as Maureen Landa McGavin)
Mandy Lyons	....	hair department head
Mia Neal	....	key hair stylist (as Mia M. Neal)
Nuria Sitja	....	makeup department head
Jonathan Gording	....	contact lenses: special (uncredited)

Production Management
Brian Bell	....	unit production manager
Luca Borghese	....	post-production supervisor
Frank Murray	....	production supervisor (as Fran¸ois Murray)
Jillian Nodland	....	production supervisor: Minneapolis
Jennifer Scudder Trent	....	post-production executive (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jason Blumenfeld	....	first assistant director (as Jason A. Blumenfeld)
Catherine Feeny	....	second second assistant director
Bryan Shelley	....	second second assistant director: Minneapolis
John Silvestri	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Glen Aldous	....	scenic
Michael Boucher	....	set dresser
Peter Bundrick	....	key carpenter
Terrence Burke	....	construction grip
James Dewolf	....	construction grip (as Jim DeWolf)
Daniel Dietrich	....	carpenter (as Dan Dietrich)
Faith Farrell	....	scenic artist: Minneapolis
Glenn Gatti	....	on-set dresser
Alex Gorodetsky	....	charge scenic (as Alexander Gorodetsky)
Sandy Hamilton	....	property master
Richard Hebrank	....	construction coordinator (as Rich Hebrank)
Colby Ippoliti	....	set dresser
Dan-ah Kim	....	assistant art director
Joe Kupillas	....	carpenter (as Joseph Kupillas)
Michael Leather	....	leadperson
Hank Liebeskind	....	set dresser
Eugene Melvin	....	on-set dresser (as Eugene Melvin Jr.)
Michael Miller	....	key construction grip (as Mike Miller)
Leann Murphy	....	art department coordinator
Bruce J. Paquette	....	carpenter (as Bruce Paquette)
Susan Perlman	....	buyer
Vinny Perrella	....	scenic industrial (as Vincent J. Perrella III)
Nicole Scoppa	....	set dresser
Theo Sena	....	on-set dresser
Lee Shevett	....	construction grip
Sha-Sha Shiau	....	art department coordinator
Brian J. Simpson	....	set dresser: Minneapolis (as Brian Simpson)
William Smith	....	set dresser
Gary Sommers	....	set dresser
Ryan Tallant	....	on-set dresser: Minneapolis
Susan Tatom	....	set decorating coordinator
Chris Thickins	....	set dresser: Minneapolis (as Chris Thickens)
Billy Vann	....	construction grip
James Wassmann	....	carpenter
Joel Weaver	....	assistant property master
Mark Wojahn	....	leadperson: Minneapolis
Gary Surber	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Chris C. Benson	....	boom operator: Minneapolis (as Chris Benson)
Rachel Chancey	....	foley editor
Ryan Collison	....	foley mixer
Heather Gross	....	assistant sound editor
Anguibe Guindo	....	boom operator
Harry Higgins	....	sound re-recordist
Eric Hirsch	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ken Ishii	....	sound mixer
Bobby Johanson	....	adr mixer
Brian Lagace	....	sound re-recordist
Eric McAllister	....	first assistant sound editor
Joe Origlieri	....	utility sound technician
Dave Paterson	....	sound effects editor
Jay Peck	....	foley artist
Jacob Ribicoff	....	sound effects editor
Michael Rivera	....	adr recordist
Perry Robertson	....	supervising sound editor
Scott Sanders	....	supervising sound editor
Warren Shaw	....	supervising sound editor
Steve F.B. Smith	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Bill Sweeney	....	dialogue editor (as William Sweeney)
Gregg Swiatlowski	....	assistant sound editor
Allen Lau	....	assistant sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Drew Jiritano	....	special effects coordinator (as Drew Jiritano Jr.)
Mike Myers	....	special effects technician
Stephen Powers	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Peter Amante	....	lead digital compositor: Phosphene
John Bair	....	visual effects supervisor: Phosphene
Vivian Connolly	....	visual effects producer: Phosphene
Constance Conrad	....	digital compositor: Phosphene
Chris MacKenzie	....	smoke artist: Deluxe New York
Thomas Panayiotou	....	digital compositor: Phosphene
Aaron Raff	....	lead digital compositor: Phosphene
Ariela Rotenberg	....	visual effects assistant producer: Phosphene
Scott Winston	....	lead digital compositor: Phosphene
Andrew Yates	....	digital compositor: Phosphene
Kevin Quinlan	....	visual effects artist (uncredited)
Mark Wilhelm	....	digital compositor (uncredited)

Stunts
Peter Bucossi	....	stunt coordinator
Janet Paparazzo	....	stunt double: Mavis
Shawnna Thibodeau	....	stunt double: Mavis

Camera and Electrical Department
Braden Belmonte	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Ethan Borsuk	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Vincent Camuto	....	video playback operator (as Vincent Camuto Jr.)
Phillip V. Caruso	....	still photographer
Duane Chan-Shue	....	electrician
Jesse Chertoff	....	electrician
Edward Cohen	....	best boy electric: Minneapolis
Joe Donohue III	....	dolly grip (as Joe Donahue)
Ted Eschweiler	....	video operator assistant: Minneapolis
Scott Ferril	....	video playback operator: Minneapolis
Nick Foster	....	grip: Minneapolis (as Nicholas Foster)
Joseph Gallup	....	best boy grip: Minneapolis (as Joe Gallup)
Tony Hanson	....	grip: Minneapolis
Zachary Henderson	....	grip
Kevin Karpinski	....	electrician: Minneapolis
John Keating	....	grip
Denny Kortze	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Dennis Kortze)
Andrew Lang	....	video playback operator
Clay Liversidge	....	best boy electric
Chris Lombardozzi	....	rigging gaffer
Scott Maher	....	electrician
John Mazzola	....	dolly grip
Michael McDonald	....	generator operator
Tim Metivier	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera (as Timothy Metivier)
Jeff Muhlstock	....	camera operator "a" camera
Jeff Muhlstock	....	steadicam operator
Rocco Palmieri	....	rigging gaffer
John Panuccio	....	key rigging grip
Katelyn Perez	....	electrician
Scott H. Ramsey	....	gaffer
Kyle Rudolph	....	camera operator
Kyle Rudolph	....	steadicam operator
David Satin	....	digital imaging technician (as Dave Satin)
Lowell Schulman	....	rigging best boy electric
Matthew Selkirk	....	digital utility
Matt Setton	....	grip (as Matthew Setton)
Charles Sherron	....	key grip
Richie Sherron	....	rigging grip (as Rich Sherron)
Robert Stein	....	rigging grip (as Robert B. Stein)
Perry Unjang	....	dolly grip (as Perry Z. Unjang)
Rebecca Venezia	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Rory Walsh	....	key rigging grip
Ethan Wilhelm	....	grip
Michael Winn	....	grip: Minneapolis (as Mike Winn)
Richard Yacuk	....	grip
Sebastián Almeida	....	remote head technician (uncredited)
Kyle Blackman	....	camera loader: additional (uncredited)
Aaron Jacobs	....	grip (uncredited)
Craig Striano	....	scorpio crane technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Diana Blue	....	background casting assistant
Erin Darke	....	casting assistant
Karen E. Etcoff	....	background casting (as Karen Etcoff)
Matthew Feeney	....	background casting: Minneapolis
Bill Tripician	....	background casting assistant
Dann Fink	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)
Jamie Jacobson	....	child extras casting (uncredited)
Bruce Winant	....	adr voice casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Hause	....	costume supervisor (as Barbara J. Hause)
Cynthia Kurkowski	....	seamstress: Minneapolis
Penelope Laughman	....	key set costumer (as Penelope L. Laughman)
Crystal Thompson	....	tailor/seamstress
Cerah Tymoshuk	....	wardrobe assistant: Minneapolis
Laura Wehrman	....	set costumer
Tsigie White	....	assistant costume designer (as Tsigie White Robinson)

Editorial Department
Matt Breitenbach	....	colorist assistant: dailies (as Matthew Breitenbach)
Matt Breitenbach	....	digital intermediate assist
Tricia Chiarenza	....	color timer
Yanosh Cuglove	....	editorial intern
Shaina Holmes	....	dailies project manager
Oliver Horovitz	....	editorial assistant
Markus Janner	....	digital intermediate recordist
Brent Kleinman	....	digital intermediate engineer
Natasha Leonnet	....	digital intermediate colorist
Ryan Murphy	....	first assistant editor
David Pultz	....	color timer
Anthony Raffaele	....	colorist: dailies
Jonathan Sanden	....	digital intermediate editor
Robert Sirianni	....	video data center technician
Darrell R. Smith	....	digital intermediate supervising producer
Andrew Weisblum	....	addtional editor
Angel L. Acevedo III	....	post-production technician: dailies (uncredited)

Music Department
Sterling Andrews	....	assistant: Mr. Kent
Linda Cohen	....	music supervisor
Stephen Coleman	....	music programmer
Jessica Dolinger	....	music licensing
Katherine Gordon Miller	....	music editor (as Katherine Miller)
Alistair South	....	music assistant
Nick South	....	music editor
Greg Townley	....	scoring mixer

Transportation Department
Michael Arnold	....	transportation captain: Minneapolis (as Michael Hallett-Arnold)
Kenny Gaskins	....	transportation captain
James S. Keegan	....	transportation captain
Andrew Garski	....	driver: mechanic (uncredited)
Richard P. Pecora	....	driver (uncredited)
John 'Detroit' White	....	driver: honeywagon (uncredited)

Other crew
Cassandra Barbour	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances
Seth Barrish	....	adr loop group
Kati Batchelder	....	office production assistant: prep
Deborah Becker	....	second assistant accountant
Gillian Brown	....	assistant: Ms. Halfon
Shannon Burkett	....	adr loop group
Carrie Bush	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Robert Cahoon	....	assistant production coordinator
Ethan Carlson	....	location assistant
Kate Checchi	....	assistant: Mr. Kahane
Hailey Cho	....	miscellaneous crew
Amyjoy Clark	....	payroll accountant
Wendy Cohen	....	product placement
Linda Colangelo	....	unit publicist
Lauren Cozzens	....	production secretary
Jennifer Crammer	....	production coordinator (as Jen Crammer)
Rachel Crane	....	adr loop group
Jean Dalsin	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Alexis Deane	....	assistant: Mr. Reitman
Lauren DiLiberto	....	production assistant
Myles B. Faigin	....	production assistant
Dann Fink	....	adr loop group
Karen Gehres	....	epk producer
Andy Gilbert	....	caterer: Tribe Road Catering
Jennifer Green	....	physical therapist
Orit Greenberg	....	location assistant
Orit Greenberg	....	location scout
Timothy Gulan	....	adr loop group
Doug Hall	....	assistant: Mr. Smith
Hal Hamburger	....	production assistant
Lori Hammel	....	adr loop group
Mark Har	....	location assistant: Minneapolis
Anne Healy	....	location manager: Minneapolis (as Anne Healy Shapiro)
R. Richard Hobbs	....	location scout
Karen Huie	....	adr loop group
Michelle Israel	....	production assistant
Anne Bergstedt Jordanova	....	stand-in
Matt Joyer	....	production assistant
Emily Kacere	....	assistant: Ms. Konop
Molly Katagiri	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Michelle Knudsen	....	assistant: Mr. Novick
Duck Kolenik	....	assistant: Ms. Cody
Ronnie Kupferwasser	....	location manager
Ashley Lambert	....	adr loop group
Jenny Lee	....	title designer: main and end titles
Paul Lucero	....	location assistant
Gabriella Ludlow	....	production business and legal services: The B.A. Department
Lisa McPherson	....	production assistant
Pete Meccio	....	set medic
Ryan Murphy	....	adr loop group
Suzy Myers Jackson	....	adr loop group
Elizabeth Neveu	....	production assistant
Mathew Noack	....	unit p.a.
Tara Nostramo	....	assistant: Ms. Theron
Meredith Nunnikhoven	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Riley O'Connor	....	production assistant
Kelly O'Malley	....	assistant: Ms. Estabrook
Jocelyn O'Shea	....	production assistant
Derek Peterson	....	production assistant
Peter Pyun	....	location assistant
Armando Riesco	....	adr loop group
Michael Riolo	....	production assistant
Stacy Rowe	....	script supervisor
J. Max Ruschak	....	first assistant accountant
Kathi Scharer	....	production accountant
Sandi Schilling	....	assistant: Mr. Rales
William Sepulveda	....	craft service (as Will Sepulveda)
Laura Sevier	....	rights and clearances: Entertainment Clearances
Nancy Shon	....	production assistant
Todd Sinkewich	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Gareth Smith	....	title designer: main and end titles
Traci Spicer	....	production assistant
Jonathan Stahl	....	production assistant
Eugene Stamos	....	craft service
Leah Stob	....	craft service: Minneapolis
Amy Thompson	....	production assistant: Minneapolis
Daniel Tresca	....	assistant location manager (as Dan Tresca)
Dawn Urich	....	craft service: Minneapolis (as Dawn A. Ulrich)
Eva Vedock	....	craft service
Peter Viafane	....	catering assistant: Tribe Road Catering
Matthew J. Walters	....	adr loop group
Skip Whitfield	....	catering assistant: Tribe Road Catering
Bruce Winant	....	adr loop group (as Bruce Nielsen Winant)
Stephanie Wu	....	production assistant
Liz Adams	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Matthew Eberle	....	additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Trish Gray	....	location scout (uncredited)
Melissa Kalbfus	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Eric Klein	....	location scout (uncredited)
Yana Collins Lehman	....	post production accountant (uncredited)
David Margulis	....	location scout (uncredited)
Chris Miskiewicz	....	stand-in: Brian McElhaney (uncredited)
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	location scout (uncredited)
Brandon Ripley	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Brandon Sines	....	project manager: mastering (uncredited)
Kai Thorup	....	location scout (uncredited)

Thanks
Michael Boucher	....	in memory of

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures (presents)
• Denver and Delilah Productions
• Indian Paintbrush
• Mandate Pictures
• Mr. Mudd
• Right of Way Films

Distributors

• Bontonfilm (2012) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Paramount Japan (2012) (Japan) (theatrical) (as Paramount Pictures Japan)
• Paramount Pictures Entertainment (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2012) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (2011) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2012) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (2012) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2012) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Film1 (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2012) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Zon Lusomundo Audiovisuais (2012) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Phosphene (visual effects)

Other Companies

• ARRI / Camera Service Center  camera equipment provided by
• B.A. Department, The  production business and legal services
• Cathay Bank  production financing
• City National Bank  production financing
• Comerica Bank of California  production financing (as Comerica Bank)
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  digital marketing asset management
• Digital Media Services (DMS)  on-line promotional material creation
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• EarCandy  sound post-production
• Entertainment Clearances  rights and clearances
• Film Finances  completion bond
• JC Studios Brooklyn  stage facilities
• JP Morgan Chase Bank  production financing
• Loopers Unlimited  adr voice casting
• Marshall/Plumb Research Associates  script clearance research
• Momentous Insurance Brokerage  insurance services
• National Association  production financing
• Post Factory NY  Avids (as Post Factory New York)
• Post Factory NY  post-production facilities
• PrimaLux Video  epk services
• Sound One  sound re-recording facility
• Trevanna Post  post-production accounting
• Tribe Road Catering  catering
• U.S. Bank National Association  production financing
• Union Bank  production financing
• Wells Fargo Bank  production financing

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for language and some sexual content

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS (as Datasat Digital Sound) | SDDS

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #46824) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:15A | UK:15 | Malaysia:18 | Australia:MA15+ | Japan:G | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Portugal:M/12 | Czech Republic:12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Singapore:NC-16 | Germany:12 | Brazil:12 | South Korea:18 (original rating) | South Korea:15 (re-rating) | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

JC Studios, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

Josh Brolin was rumored to star in the movie.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The highway signs (I-35, I-535 & US Hwy 53) outside the Hampton Inn that Mavis checks into would seem to place Mercury, MN in the Duluth area, but the strip mall next door features a Chuck E. Cheese's, Raymour & Flanigan Furniture, and Liquid Ice. The nearest Chuck E. Cheese's are several hours away in the Minneapolis area. Raymour & Flanigan and Liquid Ice are chains only found in the Northeastern US (PA, NY, New England), and a highway sign seen after the interstate signs at the hotel is a New York State Route 35 sign supports that.

Quotes:

Mavis Gary:[singing] She wears denim wherever she goes. Says she's gonna get some records by the Status Quo, oh yeah! I didn't want to hurt you. Oh yeah!

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Maltin on Movies: 21 Jump Street (#1.67)" (2012)

Soundtrack:

Feel The Pain

Reitman and Cody strike again

When Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody struck gold with "Juno" in 2007, they did so with a rare combination of contemporary wit, quirkiness and heart. Their four-year reunion in "Young Adult" won't be nearly as heralded, but it might arguably be a better film.

Although ironic when juxtaposed with its main character, a 37-year-old who hasn't gotten over her high school sweetheart, Reitman and Cody display obvious evidence of maturation. The subject and humor are decidedly darker, and the emotional energy more raw and challenging.

Charlize Theron stars as Mavis Gary, perhaps one of film's most hopelessly pathetic protagonists. Before giving the opening credit sequence its cue, Reitman puts Theron to work and paints a clear picture of spiraling drunken loneliness, reality TV and apathy toward responsibility. Appropriately, she's a young-adult fiction writer for a dwindling book series who's also a former prom queen. Theron is perfect for the role with her combination of in- concealable beauty and dramatic prowess. Mavis never becomes a caricature under her watch.

Unable to get past the fact that her high school boyfriend Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson) just had a baby, Mavis flees her depressing cyclical lifestyle in Minneapolis for her home town of Mercury, Minn. with the intention of winning him back.

Mavis' delusional and deceitful quest to be a home-wrecker proves maddening through much of the film at the slow-burn pace Reitman has dictated, and it becomes obvious that at some point the bubble on her misguided journey will burst into an ugly mess. Yet despite this foreseeable direction, the climax proves stirring and not without a set of surprises.

Adding to the complexity of Mavis reclaiming her past is Matt (Patton Oswalt), a former classmate she barely noticed because they were miles apart on the social spectrum. The two bond over their appreciation for (or dependency on) bourbon, and their relationship allows Theron's character a chance to blow off steam, albeit irresponsibly.

Mavis eventually remembers Matt as the "hate crime kid" because he was brutally beaten to the point of being disabled in high school at the hands of some jocks who thought he was gay. He serves as a strong comparison point for Mavis' high school experience throughout the film. Oswalt's wit also matches well with Cody's style and Matt actually turns into one of the better depictions of a disabled character probably ever. Other than the incident that caused it, we're not asked to sympathize excessively with his condition, nor do Mavis' snarky remarks about it come across as rude.

Cody's dialogue is much more restrained this time around; "Juno" is eons funnier as a result, but the sacrifice of laughs allows us to focus on the film as a character study of a woman who hasn't quite learned how to be an adult. The script's only deficiency comes from a crater- sized hole in Mavis' history. "Young Adult" deserves praise for being a film about living in the past that contains not a single flashback, but knowing more about Mavis' divorce and how she came to break up with Buddy the first time could have significantly informed the story, especially as to why Mavis willfully lives her life as the trainwreck it clearly is.

The film's climax helps a bit in this regard, and Mavis' epiphany avoids being cliché despite the obvious "appreciate what you have" motif. Part of the message oddly suggests that small- town folks lead purposeless lives for the sake of achieving some kind of blissful stasis, but at the same time the idea that all of us are broken people that need to affirm and trudge forward — not backward — with our various blemishes, will surely resonate.

~Steven C

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