Young Adult
Young Adult

Movie spotlight

Young Adult

2011
Movie
94 min
English

A divorced writer from the Midwest returns to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who's now married with a family.

Insights

IMDb5.8/10
Rotten Tomatoes71%
Metacritic60/100
Google Users61%
Director: Jason ReitmanGenres: Comedy, Drama

Plot Summary

Mavis Gary, a successful but unhappy ghostwriter of young adult novels, returns to her hometown in a desperate attempt to rekindle a romance with her former high school boyfriend, who is now married with a child. Despite her efforts, she finds her old life is not as appealing as she remembers, and her actions cause disruption for herself and those around her.

Critical Reception

Young Adult received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Charlize Theron's performance and the film's dark humor and exploration of arrested development. Some critics found the character unsympathetic, but many appreciated its honest portrayal of a flawed individual.

What Reviewers Say

  • Charlize Theron delivers a fearless and often uncomfortable performance.

  • The film is lauded for its sharp, witty dialogue and dark comedic tone.

  • Some viewers found the protagonist too unlikable, making the film's message difficult to connect with.

Google audience: Google users generally found the film to be a darkly humorous and well-acted exploration of a flawed protagonist, though some felt the character was too unsympathetic and the story lacked a satisfying resolution.

Awards & Accolades

Charlize Theron was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

Fun Fact

The character of Mavis Gary was specifically written for Charlize Theron by Diablo Cody, who had previously collaborated with Jason Reitman on "Juno."

AI-generated overview · Verify ratings on official sources

My Review

TMDB Reviews

2 reviews
CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

The premiss is that Charlize Theron ("Mavis Gary") is an erstwhile successful novelist, now divorced, borderline alcoholic and bored. She heads back to her home town in Minnesota to catch up with her parents - and, more importantly, to hook...

DoryDarko

DoryDarko

Young Adult tells the story of 37-year-old Mavis Gary – a pathologically unhappy, immature, egotistical girl in a grown woman's body. Upon hearing of her ex-boyfriend's new born baby, she decides that they are still meant for each other, an...