Review: Youth in Revolt

Will Michael Cera ever be given a role where he doesn't play a socially awkward teenager? I can only think of one other actor that puts in the same performance no matter what movie he is in–and that's Vince Vaughn. Normally I would say this gets old, but damn it, Michael Cera makes it funny everytime.

In Youth in Revolt, Cera plays Nick Twisp, a 16 year old social outcast waiting for his dreamgirl to come along to take his virginity. When he meets said dreamgirl, Sheeni Saunders, on a trip to trailer park lake getaway, young love is born. But where Nick falls in love, Sheeni enjoys the freedom of living in the moment with no attachments. So when Nick has to leave the trailer park, he becomes obsessed with reuniting with Sheeni. He enlists the services of Francois, his diabolical chain-smoking alter ego, to help him get kicked out of his moms house so he can move back to the trailer park and lose his virginity to the love of his life.

It's easy to see why Nick would do anything to be with Sheeni. She is one of those perfect fictional girls that doesn't exist in real life. Like Veronica Mars. Sheeni is cute, smart, sexy, reads poetry, listens to vinyl records, and speaks french. Most importantly, she doesn't care what others think and she doesn't judge Nick for being a geek.

What develops is somewhat of a tragic but comedic relationship between the two. Kind of like a funny Romeo and Juliet. Nick gets in trouble with the law and has to take down Trent, Sheeni's possible boyfriend. What works about Nick's character is that we can relate to his quest to get laid. We've all had our share of falling for the girl that is out of our league with the douchebag cockblock boyfriend. And Cera always delivers a real performance that guys can relate to and girls find adorable and honest.

Michael Cera is Michael Cera with a slightly more cynical side. So you know what to expect. You will find him and the movie funny and charming. But Youth in Revolt is not the mainstream comedy that the trailers and tv spots make it out to be. It takes it's time developing laughs as opposed to relying on sex jokes and catchy dialog like in Superbad. So when you see it, go in expecting more Napolean Dynamite over say...Knocked Up.

Lobo says: 3 out of 4 moons