Young Adult (2011) * * * 1/2

 

Directed by:  Jason Reitman

Starring:  Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser

Young Adult has the courage to have a selfish alcoholic as its protagonist.  Mavis Gary (Theron) is a successful author of books for teenagers living in Minneapolis who returns to her hometown.  She wants to relive her glory days while also trying to steal her high-school sweetheart Buddy (Wilson) away from his wife and family.  Mavis forms an alliance with classmate Matt Freehauf (Oswalt), who was beaten to within an inch of his life in high school over allegations that he was gay.  He is not gay, and probably is in love with Mavis and always has been, but that didn't stop the attackers from pounding on him and causing him physical and emotional pain for the rest of his days.

If Mavis didn't drink so much, she might realize she has done far more with her life than any of her classmates.   The bottle makes Mavis feel her best days are behind her, but her classmates are in awe of her "exciting" life as a writer and a Minneapolis denizen.   Mavis feels otherwise.  Buddy doesn't know what to make of Mavis.  He may still be attracted to her, but he does have a wife and baby to think about.  "We'll beat this thing together," Mavis tells Buddy in reference to that pesky little issue of his family.  It's a hilarious line.  

Young Adult is billed as a comedy, but there is a lot of pain.  Mavis with her drinking, Matt dealing with the effects of the assault he endured twenty years ago, and Buddy awkwardly trying to navigate around Mavis.  He tries to let her down easy, but she won't take a hint.   It isn't because Mavis isn't physically attractive (she is played by Charlize Theron after all), but Buddy loves his wife.  Not that Mavis cares about that.  Buddy must be hers again.  We also pity Matt, pining away for Mavis, but also having the guts to tell her that what she's doing is wrong.  

We can call Young Adult a dark comedy since there are laughs derived from Mavis' brazen attempts to revisit the past with people who have mostly moved on.   Theron gives a nervy performance.  She's not afraid to be unlikable, but there is a shot at redemption in the end.  Think of Mavis as Bad Santa without the costume.