YOUTH IN REVOLT (Michael Cera)

[GreenScar]

I’m not sure what to make of this one. It’s obvious that Michael Cera needs to branch out if he’s going to keep a steady career going, and he’s certainly doing that with “Youth in Revolt.” Cera plays a 16-year-old who desperately wants his “dream girl,” Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday), to notice him. As any sane person would do, he creates a bad-ass alter-ego for himself who can get the job done and secure the girl. Check out the trailer after the jump.

Oh man. This is either genius or total crap [Matt's note: I'm coming down on the side of genius]; I haven’t figured out which. It’s directed by Miguel Arteta, who is probably best known for Jennifer Aniston’s “The Good Girl,” but has also directed some episodes of well-known TV shows, including my least favorite “The Office” episode “Dawali.” However, he wins back some favor because he directed an episode of “Freaks and Geeks”.

The film is based on the book “Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp,” which contains the first three parts of a six-part saga. The film co-stars Zach Galifianakis, Justin Long, Ray Liotta, Steve Buscemi, Fred Ward, Ari Graynor, and Jean Smart. “Youth in Revolt” hits theatres on October 30th.

Matt's 2nd note: Those who think that Cera can only play one kind of character are about to get a wake-up call; however, they need to understand the difference between limited range and specific approach. An actor can have a certain style but still create new characters. It would be like saying Al Pacino was playing the same character in "Dog Day Afternoon" and "The Godfather Parts I & II" because he's a quiet guy that is ready to explode at any moment. The test for actors isn't that you can recognize the kind of performance they give but if you can predict how they'll play a character depending on the scene.

And if you still don't believe me about Cera, just look up "Clark & Michael" or even just watch this video and then feel bad for doubting]