Director: Miguel Areta
Cast: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart
Youth in Revolt opens with nerdy teenager Nick Twisp wanking off in his bedroom- in spectacularly clichéd terms he proclaims his fixation with sex and the desperate need for a girlfriend who could lend a helping hand. In fact, Twisp is a sex-obsessed virgin whose social awkwardness dictates that in the real world he would lead a very long, lonely, sex-deprived existence. But this is American cinema, and in true coming-of-age fashion, Twisp goes on a metaphorical and literal journey to come to terms with his manhood and to, of course, find a girlfriend.
This film is very watchable, but several aspects are just frankly annoying as the film sticks closely to the now worn cliché conventions of the ‘indie’ genre. The teens speak in a strange, wise-crack language that quite literally does not exist on this earth, earlier heard in films like Juno, and the now standard animation sequence that consciously looks like it was put together by a child during playtime is also included. Perhaps most gratingly, every time the two protagonists lean in to kiss, the acoustic guitar chords start and you know exactly what type of song is coming. If it isn’t The Moldy Peaches, it may as well be.
Twisp, during the course of the film, becomes obsessed with Sheeni who in turn has a poetry-writing, all round loveable and perfect boyfriend, Trent. Sheeni Saunders is a 15-year-old non-virgin who is obsessed with French culture and language, and is rebelling against a caricatured, stereotypical portrayal of strict Christian parents. Twisp falls head over heels in love, the sort of love a nerdy 16-year-old boy favours in American cinema, and delves into a series of destructive and illegal acts to win over Sheeni. His ultimate goal? To lose his virginity. But somewhere amidst the ridiculous invention of an alter-ego, Francois Dillinger, who commits grand theft auto and other misdemeanours for Twisp, his virgin status gets lost along the way.
Youth in Revolt is well paced, but overall its technical elements are not noteworthy. The cinematography is unsurprisingly colourful, as every indie film is, seemingly because the filmmakers assume their youthful demographic will get bored if not assaulted by hyper-saturated colours and blue, blue skies. Director Miguel Areta here misses the opportunity to make us really feel for Nick, by emphasizing the grim, boring, dirty-ness of trailer life – rather making it look Californian, and not so bad really. Besides a rather gorgeous shot of Nick, hormonal and longing as he dreams of Sheeni in the shower in slow motion, the visuals of the film are pretty standard. Perhaps at a time when cinema-goers have the unbelievable spectacle of Avatar as an option, Youth in Revolt feels particularly underwhelming, and whilst solid enough, is not a memorable experience, unlike The Journals of Nick Twisp, C. D. Payne’s original novel.
Ultimately the film fails in showcasing Michael Cera’s ability to play the bad guy, by introducing the laughable and highly unbelievable caricature of Twisp’s alter-ego, Francois Dillinger, who flouts the law whilst wearing a moustache and smoking a cigarette. However, as per usual his performance as the nerdy teenager is exceptionally believable and at most times loveable. Newcomer Portia Doubleday, in her role as Sheeni also delivers a cute and provocative performance, and is one to watch out for. However, Justin Long in his portrayal of Sheeni’s elusive older brother, Paul, is forgettable. The inclusion of Long characterises the attempt by the film-makers to pack as many events and characters into the film as financially and cinematically possible, and it fails by depriving the film of any real honesty.
Verdict: A script with potential but which fails to light up the big screen, with an over-dependence on stereotypes and an unoriginal depiction of contemporary teenage love.
2.5 Stars
