Bogus Blogging

Tagline: Every “Revolution” Needs A Leader

The movie is based on a book by C.D. Payne, which, from what I understand, has quite a large cult following. The story centers on Nick Twisp, a 16-year-old virgin whose parents are divorced. When his mother’s boyfriend rips off some sailors, the family decides to take a sudden vacation in order to avoid retribution. At the trailer park, Nick falls in love with a girl named Sheeni Saunders, and when his family eventually returns home, he is determined to be re-united with her. In the hopes of being sent to live with his father, he begins to commit crimes with the help of his alter-ego, François Dillinger.

Part teen sex comedy, part stoner comedy, and part coming-of-age anthem, Youth in Revolt feels like it could have been the next Juno or Rushmore, if only it had a slightly stronger vision behind it. It doesn’t seem deliberately derivative of either of these films (and indeed, since the book was written in 1993, it pre-dates both of them by quite a bit), but it does explore similar feelings of teen angst and features main characters who act very intelligent for their age to reasonable comedic effect.

Ever since his debut as George-Michael onArrested Development, Michael Cera has been pigeonholed as the shy, soft-spoken nerd, the awkward outcast who has trouble talking to girls. Whether or not you find him cute and endearing, you have to admit that he suits the role quite well, and has managed to turn in some pretty hilarious performances over the past few years.