Youth In Revolt

I loved Michael Cera in "Superbad (2007)". I think he, Jonah Hill, and every other cast and crew member of that film worked together to make one of the best comedies I've ever seen. And then Cera played the same character that year in "Juno". Then last year that same character had long hair in "Year One". He seemed to have found a niche in playing awkward teenagers, but after he knocked up Juno, I felt the character was a little played out. So you can understand my nervousness when making the trip to see "Youth in Revolt (2009)". But my fears were for nothing. Turns out Michael Cera can play more than one character, quite literally. While "Revolt" wasn't the best comedy I've seen (and it certainly was no "Superbad"), it had moments that left me in hysterics.

From the beginning of the film, Cera's character Nick Twisp speaks in a much more calm, certain, and intellectual manner, though he certainly lacks what could qualify him for maturity. His interaction with his less-than-gifted peers and family members is great, but where the movie really picks up is when he creates the supplemental persona in "Francois Dillinger" so that he may better cater to his lady's desire for danger. The character is fantastic, doing all of the things Nick's subconscious demands, rudely shunning his mother and burning down half of Nick's town to impress Sheeni. While often an actor portraying two roles is campy and boring as shit (and generally just the same character with two different sets of clothing), Cera's portrayal is hilarious. Nick and Francois play off of each other in such a way that one needs constant reminder that they are both part of the same person. Cera plays a cocky, risk-taking asshole so well that I hope he continues to do so in later roles.

Mostly, though, I'm just glad to see that such a funny guy isn't a one-trick pony.

Verdict: Just Stoked. I will absolutely see this movie again. It's been a while since my friends and I saw a movie that we quoted immediately after leaving the theater. Maybe so long ago as "Inlgourious Basterds (2009)." While out of context the quotes are fairly nonsensical, they are wonderful and funny, nonetheless. Like "Basterds," it ends with a line that sums up the previous celluloid perfectly.