Review of Young Adult (2011) by Spangle — 01 Sep 2016

Charlize Theron showcases her A-list status in Young Adult, a film about a deeply unlikable protagonist initially whose flaws wind up making her sympathetic. As always, director Jason Reitman knows how to capture the emotion of the characters placed before him and pairing him with writer Diablo Cody has certainly produced top-notch results before, as it does here once more.

A great blend of character study, development, and comedy, Young Adult may be a bit depressing for some, but is a great look at a deeply troubled woman trapped in adolescence due to mental illnesses. Theron brings this woman to life and makes you simultaneously hate, pity, and sympathize with her along the way as she embarrasses herself left and right along her path towards self-destruction.

With Reitman's other films, namely Thank You for Smoking and Juno, I wound up being a fan from the very first shot. Young Adult was very different and actually took some warming up along the way. However, it is hard to deny such terrific dramatic and comedic writing, especially when they are blended together in a film such as this.

Overall, Young Adult is a character study. For many, the character will be detestable. However, as more and more layers are peeled off of her, her story arc and development shines through.