Review of Young Adult (2011) by Adnan_Soysal — 26 Sep 2020

Until the middle of the movie it feels boring, and viewer waits story to start. A writer, Mavis (Charlize Theron), in her mid 30's is divorced, and she feels unfulfilled, unhappy. She is also having trouble finishing her latest book that is part of her young adult novels series. She feels that she is done with these books, and does not know what is next. Because her success in these novels mostly based on her acquaintances with jerk life culture in high school. And now it is about to finish. Then she receives an email from her old boy friend Buddy (Patrick Wilson), that he got a daughter in his marriage. She takes this email as an invitation to reunite again, and goes back to her home town.

She tries to seduces Buddy to reunite again. and that is noticeable. When she is invited to Buddy house, she makes remarks to his wife Beth (Elizabeth Reaser) that her baby looks like her, not Buddy. Mavis' friction eventually outbursts at baby's name giving party when Beth bumps her spilling wine on Mavi's dress. She directly tells in the party why she returned back to town. She shouts at them "What is wrong with you people?" In fact her inquiry is how on earth you simple people could be so happy with your poor lifes . She is angry at them, but also jealous of them. How on earth they are feeling so fulfilled while she is not.

I think this was the twisting point in the movie. And I started to like, and have sympathy for Mavis. After the party she goes to another class mate's Matt, home and and seduce him to sex. In the morning , she talks with Matt's sister, Sandra. She cries confessing its is very difficult her to be happy for her. Sandra tells Mavis that she is better than everyone in the the town. That was striking moment for Mavis that she realized it is true. She feels sorry for feeling like dump and seeking love of Buddy. She remembers she is indeed better than these people. And then she leaves the house. Sandra asks her to take with her. But now, Mavis was a different person looking to the future, leaving everything about her old town behind. She said no Sandra.

Movie ends with question still hanging in the air for her. happiness. journey or a destination?

Both Charlize Theron, and Patrick Wilson were good choices for these roles.