I am having a harder and harder time explaining why people shouldn’t be tired of Michael Cera. Yes he is Canadian (not that it matters, just helps), yes he played George Michael Bluth on Arrested Development (that should be enough of a pass to last a lifetime) and yes he has appeared in a couple of the top comedies of the last 5 years (Superbad, Juno, Zombieland, or at least it seems like that was written for him) Yet the more he keeps appearing in movies, the more I hear about how much he is a one trick pony. He plays sarcastic-emo-teen better then anyone, even Jesse Eisenberg. His schtick has gotten old. As much as I love his delivery and his asides to no one, the more I keep seeing it the more I keep thinking that it is not an act. Its just how he is.
I keep going back to the Cera universe just to see what he is doing. Nick and Norahs infinite playlist was the same guy as Paulie Bleeker in Juno which was quite similar to Evan in Superbad and even more strangely, it closely resembled OH the caveman in Year One. And all these characters were oddly like the character “Michael Cera” in Paper Heart. If you can believe that. I want nothing more then to have Michael Cera succeed and branch out and spread his wings and play a role that is actually a role and it doesnt seem like they stood him in front of a camera and said “ok go, read the lines now Michael” That is why I have high hopes for “Youth in Revolt”
When Steve told me we were going to review it for our radio show (it only becomes a podcast after the fact, suck it all of you who didn’t vote for us) I was genuinely excited. I immediately got on the ball and got my copy together. I was going to watch it and make notes and everything. It was going to be awesome. And for the most part it was. “Youth in Revolt” is based on the book by C.D. Payne and directed by Miguel Arteta. Cera plays Nick Twisp, a teenager in search of love and the perfect girlfriend, even though he is out of touch with kids his own age and acts too much like Michael Cera. Who lets face it, if he was a real person at your high school, he would be outcast and forced to listen to classic jazz and watch foreign films. What a douche. He is then taken to the lake for the summer by his mom and her boyfriend (the wildly awesome yet constantly under used Zach Galifianakis) There he meets Sheeni Saunders, falls in love, and spends the rest of the movie trying to get back together with her. How is this different then any other Michael Cera film you ask? Well in this one he not only plays Nick Twisp, he also plays Francois Dillinger, Twisps alter ego who can do no good, only awesome!!
In order to get back with Sheeni, Nick must piss off his mother enough so that she sends him to live his father who happens to live in the same town as Sheeni. The only thing is, Nick is just too darn nice to actually do anything about it. Enter Francois. This alter ego is a white pants wearing, chain smoking, pencil mustache wearing root of all evil in Nicks life. He says the things and does the deeds that Nick can’t bring himself to do. The only slightly confusing thing is that he doesn’t actually exist, so in “reality” its Nick that is doing all this, not Francois, but enough of that. Its a movie and its finally the time when Cera gets to act.
This was the part I was waiting for. And he doesn’t disappoint. He jumps full into this new role and doesn’t try to “Cera-size” it up. Francois is an unapologetic, asshole who only knows what he wants and will do or say anything to get it. He is a nice contrast to Nick who is way to sensitive to actually be effective in any emotional or physical conflict. Francois even looks different than Nick. Mustache aside I think they used a lot of makeup to darken his eyes and give him the tired, coked out look. My favorite scenes in this movie are between Nick and Francois. The single actor playing two roles gag has been done before (remember Phoebe from Friends?) but I like the way they did it here. It was quite natural and flow was almost flawless. Kudos on that.
The rest of the movie is pretty solid, with a very strong supporting cast including, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, Justing Long, Ari Graynor, Fred Willard, M. Emmet Walsh to name a few. The direction is strong with some very creative tricks and a nice use of slow motion. I don’t want to give away anymore of the plot then I have to but I did thoroughly enjoy and I do recommend you watch it. Even if you don’t like Michael Cera, you will probably love Francois Dillinger.
Brian gives it a Renter
Not a bad movie, I had a chance to catch an advance screening of this and we did laugh a few times which is all that you would expect from it anyway. Michael Cera continues to reprise the same type of role he always does and it’s annoying, I agree. I did think that the fact that he played two different characters only highlighted his lack of range.