Movies about rebellious youth have been a staple for years. Perhaps the most well known was REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE which turned James Dean into the poster boy for troubled youth. Few films have stood the test of time like that one though and it appears the YOUTH IN REVOLT will be lucky to make the list on the bottom rung.
Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) is your typical teen, dreaming on having his first sexual encounter while doing what all teens apparently do in films these days, a little self stimulation. Nick lives with his divorced mother (Jean Smart) and her oaf of a boyfriend Jerry (Zack Galifiankis). His father (Steve Bushemi) lives with his 25 year old girlfriend. Yes, everyone seems to be having “romance” with the exception of Nick.
When a car sale goes bad, Jerry takes the extended family to a “cabin” a friend of his owns. Instead they come to a trailer park with a trailer that has seen better days. But it is here that Nick meets Sheeni (Portia Doubleday). Its love/lust at first sight and soon all of Nick’s days are spent with Sheeni as she talks about wanting to travel the world, to see France, to have a French boyfriend. To say that this teen is pretentious would be an understatement.
All goes well until Nick learns that Sheeni has a boyfriend named Trent (who’s never seen until the third act of the film), the stereotypical preppie that everyone loves. When Nick’s family moves back home, Sheeni suggests that Nick find a way to have his mother kick him out so that he can move back. She even helps his father get a job in the town she lives in. All Nick needs to do is find that inner bad boy and be forced to move in with his father.
Thus Nick’s alter ego, Francois Dillinger is born. Sporting a pencil thin moustache and chain smoking, Francois “tells” Nick what he needs to do to get kicked out. Nick’s new boyfriend (Jerry died of a heart attack) is policeman Lance Westcott (Ray Liotta). Of course Francois encourages Nick to pop off to him at any given moment. When Nick steals his mother’s car (and the trailer Jerry purchased) and accidentally blows them up in Berkley, his mother gives him his wish and sends him packing.
Unfortunately Sheeni’s strictly religious folks learned of their plans and have sent Sheeni off to a boarding school. Which is also where Trent goes to school. Off Nick goes with his new best friend to try and win back the girl he loves.
If none of this sounds preposterous so far then continue viewing. Everything from psychedelic mushrooms to calling the police names is brought into the mix as Nick continues to try and win the affections of Sheeni.
Cera has made a career out of playing the likeable but dorky loser and this film does little to show another side of his acting ability. Sure, he doubles up here as Francois, but that character has little to do except talk nasty and offer Nick bad suggestions to follow through on. Cera may be a likeable guy in real life but after playing the same role over and over again I just find him little more than annoying. I also fear what will become of him once he finally hits the age where he no longer looks 16. At 22 that day is just around the corner.
I know they were trying to go for a teen comedy with a touch of romance here but I just couldn’t help but think someone should just slap some sense into these two characters. I didn’t feel anything for either of them except pity at how they had dreams of a life that doesn’t exist, a dream of romance that exists only in Harlequin romance novels. Real life is much more interesting and romantic.
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