Youth In Revolt (15) ***
In the movies, the good guy gets the girl, ruefully confides the socially awkward hero of Youth In Revolt.
The shy teenager at the centre of Miguel Arteta's quirky romantic comedy, based on the novel Youth In Revolt: The Journals Of Nick Twisp by CD Payne, stands little chance of getting any girl, least of all the pretty blonde of his dreams.
So he summons his imaginary, French alter ego – as you do – whose presence is a safety blanket that provides our laconic protagonist with the courage to risk his heart.
In the wake of a slew of offbeat teen comedies – most notably Juno, Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist and Superbad – it is becoming increasingly difficult for similar portraits of sexual awakening to stand out from the crowd. Even more so when all these films star Michael Cera, whose performances are virtually identical.
Thankfully, the invisible confidant sets Arteta's film apart, allowing Cera to channel the spirit of John Paul-Belmondo and other Gallic heartthrobs.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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