YOUTH IN REVOLT
US, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Erik Knudsen, Adhir Kalyan, Steve Buscemi, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta, Justin Long, Jade Fusco, M. Emmet Walsh, Mary Kay Place.
Directed by Miguel Arteta.
Somebody said that youth are always revolting! Not so, would say Nick Twisp (though probably with a larger and more elegant and linguistically adventurous and sophisticated vocabulary), the hero (though probably anti-hero in the 1960s sense would be more appropriate) of three novels by American writer, C.D.Payne. They have a cult following in the US.
It may be better to get to the hand-wringing part of the review first: the film does reflect some of the permissive aspects of contemporary society, especially in adult divorces and partnerships and their impermanence, and teenager's preoccupation with sexuality (especially the opening scene in Nick's bedroom) and virginity (as in loss of). That said, the point of view of the screenplay and of Nick Twisp is that maturity and commitment are best, especially after the immediate experience of the loss of virginity whether it be in happy circumstances or in stupid circumstances. And that is positive.
Much of the film is very funny and would have most audiences chuckling rather than laughing uproariously. Much of this is due to the writing, the one-liners, the word-play, the juxtaposing of nerdish expertise in language, literature, arthouse cinema with the mundane realities of teenage life and friendships.
Much of the humour comes from the performance of Michael Cera as Nick Twisp. He has had a career on television in many episodes of Arrested Development. On screen, he seems to give the same performance over and over (from Juno to Superbad to Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist to Year One – and to Paper Heart where he is, allegedly, playing himself). He does it here, only more so. And it works. One wonders can he do anything else. The film offers the answer, 'Yes'.
Nick Twisp is too intelligent and too cleverly well-informed to make a good impression on his peers. He has no relationship with girls. When he and his rather slatternly mother (Jean Smart) and her current boyfriend (Zach a bit the same as in The Hangover) go to a caravan park to escape some vindictive sailor creditors, Nick meets Sheeni (Portia Doubleday) the nice but rebellious daughter of strictly religious parents. They bond – as friends. Can anything every come of this friendship?
Nick has a brainwave after Sheeni tells him that to get kicked out of his mother's house and come to live with his father (Steve Buscemi) and near her, he needs to be really bad. Enter Nick's alter ego, the suave, fashionably dressed, cigarett-smoking, moustachioed, French-accented Francois Dillinger. As played by Michael Cera – and quite differently from his usual screen persona for Nick.
Francois leads Nick into all kinds of trouble, including crashing cars, burning down a restaurant, infiltrating an elite boarding school.
Of course, the whole film is slight, is geared towards Nick's age group (and bemused parents), but there is a thoughtfulness and humanity behind it and, one might call it, 'a Michael Cera film'.
1.The popularity of the books in the 1990s? The audience for these stories, teens, young adults?
2.The title and expectations – not quite?
3.Nick Twisp’s story, the nerdy youth, seventeen, intelligent and informed, sex preoccupations, but good mannered, contrasting with his parents? The creation of his alter ego, Francois Dillinger, his urging to revolt, suave manner, sinister character, a tempter, devilish, destructive and permissive?
4.The California settings, ordinary, the Twisps’ house, the trailer and the trailer park? The contrast with the Saunders house? The road, the towns? Restaurants and diners? School, the exclusive school? The realism? The score, the songs of the period, earlier days, contributing to plot and character?
5.The voice-over, Nick and his description of himself, his name, perspectives on life, characters? His friend Lefty, their discussions about sexuality? His later meeting with Vijay, the discussions about sex, travelling to the college?
6.Nick and the immediate focus on sexuality in his bedroom, his relationship with his mother, love for her, his disdain of Jerry? School, Lefty, preoccupations, knowledge and culture, an informed vocabulary?
7.The move to the country, the trailer park? His father and his relationship with the bimbo girlfriend? The trailer park, the dingy trailer, meeting Sheeni, talking with her, sharing opinions, her strong-mindedness? Her parents and their strictness? Religion and church? Sheeni lax? At school, her relationship with Trent? Trent as the ideal?
8.Nick with Sheeni, falling in love with her, platonic, sharing ideas with her, her vigorous responses? Her urging him to break out?
9.The return home, finding the car in the room, the sailors and their having been tricked by Jerry? Jerry and his death? The debts?
10.Nick and his creating the alter ego, Francois Dillinger, the white trousers, the blue shirt, the look, the hair, the moustache, the accent? Derived from Jean-Paul? Belmondo and Sheeni’s admiration of him? Francois’ ideas, challenges, the contrast with Nick himself?
11.His taking his mother’s car, the accident, the crash? The restaurant igniting and burning down? The arrival of Lance Wescott, the police investigation, the threats? Lance taking up with Nick’s mother, moving in, the relationship? His later menacing Nick?
12.Going to stay with his father, his father getting a job, the chance to be with Sheeni, meeting her parents, their strictness, their reactions?
13.Sheeni’s brother, drugs, the mushroom sequence and getting everyone high?
14.Sheeni at the college, with Trent? Nick and his friendship with Vijay, their discussions? The decision to visit the school? Meeting Bernice and her reputation? The room, Vijay and Bernice in the bunk, Nick and his being with Sheeni, going to the bathroom, the headmistress arriving, their being ousted? His contacting Bernice, the letters, persuading her to drug Sheeni, Sheeni in class going to sleep, expelled? Her being upset, returning home?
15.Trent, his appearance, the All- American, confronting Nick, the accusations? The truth and Sheeni upset?
16.Fred Willard as Mr Ferguson, the bleeding heart, helping all the immigrants? Nick shrewdly calling on him when the two were ousted from the school, no clothes, the phone call? Mr Ferguson and his kindness, gullibility? Taking his shirt off, imitating the poor immigrants? His revisiting Nick’s father, friendship, staying?
17.Nick in female disguise, trying to see Sheeni, the parents letting him in, their reaction? Getting him arrested?
18.Nick Twisp’s world, changing, moral perspective, coming to terms with himself – and taking steps for maturing? Or not?
