5.0 out of 5 stars A fearless character study of prolonged adolescence.

M.B. · December 26, 2011

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } We all know a woman like Mavis Gary. She's the kind of girl who everyone feared in high school, who was always effortlessly beautiful, and yet she had no personality whatsoever. She would do whatever was thought to be "cool". Her loved-but-feared status meant that she probably barely registered your existence at all. We assume that this kind of woman goes on to do great things, and becomes an amazing person who would have a whole new generation of people fearing her, but that is not always the case, and that is where we meet Mavis, in "Young Adult".Diablo Cody will forever be known for writing 2007's hip-dialogue laden and instantly memorable "Juno", a somewhat controversial teen comedy, which served as a star vehicle for Ellen Page, ensuring that she will play rebellious teenagers well into her thirties. Diablo Cody has reunited with her "Juno" director, Jason Reitman, for "Young Adult". I would like to mention that aside from auteur moments in Cody's writing, this is nothing at all like "Juno", and that's a good thing."Young Adult" is the study of a borderline psychotic personality. It's the story of Mavis Gary, a woman pushing 40, who lives alone, with her obviously neglected Pomeranian, in her disheveled condo in Minneapolis. She is a ghost writer of young adult fiction, which is ironic, considering she hasn't grown up at all since high school. She is not emotionally matured in any way, and thinks that her living in a neighboring city of her suburban hometown means that she has a life. She gets an e-mail from an old high school boyfriend who invites her to a baby-naming ceremony, or something like that. Fully intending to get him back, she blatantly ignores the fact that he is a husband and new father. In her mind, there is something not right in the universe, and she intends to fix it.We don't really know, as an audience, if we are supposed to feel empathy for Mavis, or if we should just feel pity. At several points in the film, we see Mavis laying face-down on a bed, either in her cold pigsty apartment, or her hotel room, where she appears to be dead. She's never dead, just dead drunk. Her character says to her parents at one point, "I think I might be an alcoholic", and the statement is largely ignored. Anyone who says this aloud knows damn well that they are, and the fact that her parents ignored this statement shows you what kind of family this woman came from. Mavis is definitely an alcoholic, seen repeatedly drinking heavily just to make it through the day. She may as well have been drunk in every scene. This is a study of a depressive character, but the thing that bothered me was that her parents ignored this statement, because they would obviously rather pretend that there is no issue. It's upsetting, but like I said, it shows where this woman became this way. That's good writing.This film works because the lead character is extremely well written and observed, but also because Charlize Theron knocks this one out of the park. First of all, before I get to any other facts about this character, I must say that Theron plays a drunk very well. The last thing I remember seeing her in was her infamous performance as Aileen Wournos in 2003's "Monster", and it is going to sound trite, but she's playing a different kind of monster here. She is a woman whose main goal in this film is to break up a marriage. She gave so much of herself to this character, and she may as well be responsible for the film's success. I personally liked Mavis, a character who we're supposed to hate, or feel great pity for, and I give Theron most of the credit for that.Patton Oswalt, of stand-up comedy fame, plays Mavis's ally in the whole thing, Matt, a guy who graduated with her, who she probably never talked to in high school, yet he is either fascinated by her antics, or just enjoys talking to her, because they become good friends. I know Oswalt from Cody's Showtime series "United States of Tara", where he also played the kind of character he plays here: the voice of reason to a borderline sociopath. He is a crucial ingredient to why this film is as good as it is, and had to be mentioned.With "Juno", "Thank You For Smoking", and "Up in the Air", and now "Young Adult", Jason Reitman has a fantastic track record. I have enthusiastically enjoyed each of his films thus far. It's interesting for me to think of this film as a companion piece to 2009's "Up in the Air", two films about emotionally stunted individuals. [George] Clooney's character in "Up in the Air" didn't want to feel anything, and didn't want to get too close to anyone. The film ends with him not exactly changing, but moving forward in his life, ignoring factors that would have emotionally devastated the average person, and just moving forward. Meanwhile, Mavis is irrevocably stuck in the past. The best time in her life was high school, where she was popular and kind of feared, and now she is just pitied. Yet she is obsessed with making her glory days a reality again.There is nothing warm, sentimental or happy about the ending of this film, let me just say that right off the top. The film itself is dour, bleak and emotionally brutal. The performances are powerful, and the writing is excellent, yet it doesn't have the warm, happy, everything-is-better-all-of-a-sudden ending that American audiences are used to, and that's a damn good thing. Most character studies about unlikable people typically have the antihero change for the better in the end, in an ending where everything is warm, and everyone is left happy, but Mavis doesn't get off the hook that easily. While the film, in a whole, is quite depressing, its brand of black-as-night comedy is refreshing and welcome. I would call it the meanest Hollywood film this year, and that's a very good thing.Grade: A-

5.0 out of 5 stars Trim the fat...

A.E. · March 16, 2012

Mavis Gary is a mess. She is permanently sixteen. She drinks herself to sleep while watching the Kardashian empire grow and she walks around oblivious to her own obscurity by convincing herself that she's somehow important. She escaped small down life by moving to the Mini-Apple and she's never looked back once. She writes a `dead in the water' YA series that is rounding the corner of completion and she thinks anything that isn't manufactured by media propaganda is `gross'. She leans on her own crutch, a crutch created by a self-loathing she won't confront and enabled by those who loath themselves and will admit it (the little people are obsessed with her). Like I said, she's a mess.In `Young Adult', former stripper and Oscar winner Diablo Cody crafts a sharply focused dissection of a woman who refused to grow up and who insists that she's above everyone else.`Young Adult' is a simple prose. Mavis finds out that her high school sweetheart has become a new father just as she is being hit with her deadline for her final book. Suffering from severe writer's block she heads to her home town to see the new baby and hopefully steal her ex back from his wife. In the process she reconnects with an equally lost soul who becomes a voice of reason to the misguided Mavis.If only she'd listen.There is no fat here. This film is sharp and to the point and just `gets it'. Charlize is hilarious yet with a purpose. You can see the dramatic weight of her past life haunting her current motives. She nails this performance; possibly the best of her career. Comedian Patton Oswalt is also flawless here. The way that he embodies his character, Matt, with the right amount of self-pity is brilliantly colored. He's believable; sad and lonely yet seemingly stable. Yet again, Patrick Wilson is nothing more than a pretty prop (does NO ONE IN HOLLYWOOD RESPECT HIS OBVIOUS TALENT?????) but it doesn't fault the film since he needed to be that in order for this to work.Great film, great central performances; I'm ashamed that the Academy didn't bite!

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my very favorite movies Young Adult by Diablo Cody

K. · July 23, 2025

Awesome, quirky, witty and poignant movie written by Diablo Cody who is perhaps more well-known as the author of Juno. It has an all-star cast and everyone is perfect in their roles without being over the top. Charlize Theron as Mavis GaryPatton Oswalt as Matt FreehaufPatrick Wilson as Buddy SladeElizabeth Reaser as Beth SladeCollette Wolfe as Sandra FreehaufJill Eikenberry as Hedda GaryMary Beth Hurt as JanIf you like offbeat, character-driven comedy/dramas you will love Young Adult!

3.0 out of 5 stars Ummm....

N. · May 5, 2020

I felt like this movie was an ok watch one time through. It was a tough viewing though. It moves a bit slow and/or has a sluggish feel. I think maybe the story hit a nerve with me.... who knows.

1.0 out of 5 stars German isn’t english

P. · January 30, 2024

I got mine in German. Costed more to return than buy. Really classy guys

4.0 out of 5 stars Review

c.j. · March 20, 2025

I found this movie (the first time I watched it) extremely dark, sad, painful and a bit disturbing. I couldn't stop thinking about it for weeks and talking about it with friends who had seen it. To me, signs of a really good movie. Definitely worth it, and the performances are amazing. Wow.

NOT A COMEDY!!!

P. · January 8, 2019

(function() { P.when('cr-A', 'ready').execute(function(A) { if(typeof A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel === 'function') { A.toggleExpanderAriaLabel('review_text_read_more', 'Read more of this review', 'Read less of this review'); } }); })(); .review-text-read-more-expander:focus-visible { outline: 2px solid #2162a1; outline-offset: 2px; border-radius: 5px; } Why is it that marketing people see fit to sell every youth-ish movie as a comedy. Maybe toss the word "romantic" in there if it's a sad one.They even call Eternal Sunshine a comedy in most libraries... GAH!!Anyway, Young Adult... Charlize... Cody... this was a great little story showcasing uncannily accurate scenarios about early adulthood in the 90's and 2000's.... the quest for authenticity in art and employment.... waaaaay more than another romantic comedy..

Chef d'œuvre

P.D. · May 28, 2015

Ca devient une habitude en France de vendre des films méga dramatique comme des comédies. Avec des affiches toutes roses, aérées, sympas, fraîches. Bah, c'est pas du tout ça "Young Adult". C'est triste, désespéré et sombre !!!! C'est a rapprocher d'un autre film de Jason Reitman "In the air", avec son côté angoisse existentielle qui parvient vraiment à vous angoisser au beau du compte tellement le film est réussi. L'héroïne de "Young Adult" est malade, malade de désespoir, voilà le sujet. J'ai franchement été soufflé par ce film. D'une rare noirceur.

Kläglich gescheitert-grandios gespielt!

J.;.H. · February 7, 2017

Mavis (Charlize Theron) ist 37 Jahre und erfolgreich. Aus der Kleinstadt hat die umschwärmte Beauty es nach Minneapolis geschafft und ist als Autorin von Büchern für YOUNG ADULTS (Teenies, die sich gerne schon als Erwachsen fühlen) erfolgreich.Aber sie muss jetzt erkennen, dass sie keine rechte Zukunft hat. Die Buchreihe unter anderem Namen, für die sie aktuell Autorin ist, wird eingestellt, ihre Ehe ist gescheitert, ihre Lover haben die Halbwertszeit von Unterhöschen, ihr bester Freund ist der Alkohol.Da entdeckt sie eine Anzeige ihres Jugendfreundes Buddy Slade ( Patrick Wilson), der die Geburt seiner Tochter verkündet. Vier in ihre Erinnerung glückliche Jahre waren beide zusammen, und daran will sie wieder anknüpfen. Eine Ehe und ein Kind- das sind doch keine ernsthaften Hindernisse.Also reist sie zurück in das beschauliche Heimatstädtchen und trifft in einer Bar natürlich auch gleich - Matt Freehauf (Patton Oswalt), einen dic'klichen gehbehinderten Mann, den Schulkameraden, der jahrelang den Spind neben ihr hatte, und wegen Homosexualität von Mitschülern derart verdroschen und misshandelt wurde, dass auch sein bestes Stück erheblich deformiert wurde und nicht mehr so funktionert wie ursprünglich ("Ich onaniere quer.")Nach reichlich Alkohol wird er in ihr Vorhaben eingeweiht, und dass er ihr erklärt, dass Buddy ein glücklicher Ehemann und frisch gebackener Vater ist, der seine Frau sehr liebe, kann sie nicht davon abhalten, die Operation Buddy erobern zu starten.Und so macht sich Mavis an die Eroberung von Buddy, der ihre Annäherungsversuche zunehmend peinlich berührt vorsichtig abwehrt, was Mavis jedoch in ihrer Selbstüberschätzung gar nicht merkt oder merken will. Zwischendurch trifft sie sich öfter mit Matt, der ihr Vorgehen verurteilt, sie aber nicht einfach fallen lässt.Bei der Feier zur Kindstaufe will die jetzt verführerisch zurechtgemachte Mavis (Maniküre, neue Seidenbluse, dank Ansteckteil tolle Frisur) bei Buddy endlich Nägel mit Köppen machen - und macht sich nicht nur hier, sondern eigentlich bei allen peinlich unmöglich. Ihr Buch, an dem sie zwischendurch am Laptop arbeitet, der Abschluss der Reihe um eine Jugendliche, findet ein Ende, ob Mavis selber merkt, dass ihre Jugendträume ausgeträumt sind und sie endlich erwachsen werden muss?Jason Reitmann hat nach Drehbuch von Diabblo Cody 2007 mit der umwerfenden Ellen Page die Erfolgskomödie "Juno", gedreht, der Film und Ellen erhielten neinige Auszeichnungen und Nominierungen. bei den 4 Oscar-Nominierungen war Drehbuchautorin Cody 200ß erfolgreich.In "Young Adult" des bewährten Teams waren mit Charlize Theron, einer der schönsten und wunderbarsten Darstellerinnen, beste Voraussetzungen für einen tollen Film gegeben."Ein Meisterwerk der unromantic comedy" neudeutschte die Faz. Eine Komödie ist "Young Adult" absolut nicht, auch wenn einzelne Szenen zum Lachen bringen- wenn zum Beislpiel die Mutter zu der verpatzten Ehe sagt:"Die Hochzeit war gelungen. Erinnerst du dich an das Tiramisu?"Im Gegensatz zu Ellen Page als schwangerer Teenie Juno ist der Film mit Charlize Theron keine wunderbar beglückend leichte Kost mit einer sympathischen Titelfigur und auch einer schönen Botschaft, Charlize spielt wie schon in ihrer Oscar.gekrönten Rolle der Serienmörderin Aileen Wuolos sehr unvorteilhaft, fast hässlich zurechtgemacht, auch in "Young Adult" eine negativ besetzte Figur, über die man zunächst den Kopf schüttelt, sie später zunehmend unsympathisch und peinlich findet, bis man gegen Ende fast Mitleid mit ihr hat, und diese Darstellung ist eine Glanzleistung von Charlize Theron, einer wunderbar vielseitigen Darstellerin, die sich wieder nicht zu schade ist, eine negativ besetzte Figur darzustellen Schon zu Beginn erwacht sie verstrubbelt und offensichtlich verkatert, greift unter ihr Shirt und zieht die hautfarbenen Silikoneinlagen von ihren Brüsten. Wie schon ein Vorreszensent treffend feststellte, ist alleine eine Szene bei einem Konzert, in dem Buddy verzückt der Darbietung der Damenband lauscht, in der seine patenteFrau Schlagzeug spielt einen Oscar wert. Mavis' Gesicht wird starr, iher hellen Augen wirken pechschwarz, als ob sie gerade in ihre persönliche Hölle schaue, ein atemberaubender kurzer Moment in diese Film.Auch Patton Oswalt spielt stark, Patrick Wilson wirkt etwas unauffällig, und das ist genau richtig für den Darsteller des gutmütigen, von den Anmachen der Exfreundin immer wieder zunehmend peinlich berührten Famillienvaters in seiner Kleinstadtidylle (was nicht abwertend gemeint ist!)."Charlize Theron in ihrer besten Rolle", Werbesprüche sind geduldig, auf jeden Mall halte ich Mavis für einen weiteren Glanzpunkt in der Laufbahn dieser wunderbaren Darstellerin. Der Film entlässt uns nicht so beglückt wie frühere Filme von Reitmann wie "Thank You For Smoking" oder "Juno", nachdem es schwerfällt, wieder einen dem ernsten Alltag angemessenes Gesichtsausdruck zu bekommen. ""Young Adult" lässt vielleicht zuerst etwas unzufrieden zurück, aber bei weiterem Nachdenken wird klar, dass (zwar überspitzt, aber das war Ellen Page als Juno ja auch etwas), eine Charakterstudie einer Frau darsgestellt wurde, die in ihren Ansprüchen traurig gescheitert ist.Diese "Mavis" Charlize Theron wird man so schnell nicht vergessen, eine grandiose Leistung.Doc halliday

Brilliant Film!

h. · November 9, 2014

This film is brilliant. Theron smashes it and delivers a tragic and cringe worthy character which makes for a great film. Its like that horrible, popular girl at school grows up to be horrible and sad.

誰の心の中にもある領域

羽. · July 23, 2012

あの頃は良かった、あの頃の自分は最高だった、誰にでも輝いていた時はあり、甘酸っぱい恋も経験した事でしょう。誰の心の片隅にもそんな事がしまってある、懐かしくて心地良い場所がきっとある筈。40代独身、決して満足してるわけじゃない、だけど都会でそれなりに暮してる。離婚したけど、とりあえず一度は結婚した。でもやっぱり何かが足りない、何かが虚しい...そんなメイビスのもとに届いた一枚のハガキ。かつての恋人バディが父親になった知らせだった。『一番美しく輝いていた頃の自分を取り戻そう』私には最初からそう見えた。何となく、ただ何となく女性心理としてそう見えた。余り好きではなかった故郷に戻ると、親に会いに行くでもなく、早速行動開始のメイビス。『彼はいまでも私を愛している。私達は結ばれる運命なのよ』彼女がひと際美しいだけに、なりふり構わない行動が痛々しい。思い込みは徐々に病的な様相を呈してくる。それは言葉に出来ない彼女の複雑な思いが、心の中を埋め尽くしていたから。そして追い詰められた彼女はとうとう...誰の心の中にもある領域、時々そっと戻る事の出来る場所だから心地良い。そんな若く輝いていた頃の領域が、ひそやかなものでなくなった時、30代、40代になっても思考の中心にその領域が使われていたら...程度にもよるけど身に覚えがある、そう言う人が少なからずいる筈。間違いなく私もその一人だから。ある意味ブラックコメディー風な感じ。日常の生活のだらしなさと、ここぞという時の勝負服の格段の差、かつての学園のクイーンと、屈辱的な痛々しい過去を持つ学園一目立たなかった男が、時を経て言葉を交わすようになる奇妙な取り合わせ。ある程度の人生経験を積んだ人には、その痛さがわかる作品です。