I think a new genre of movie has been invented this year. One where the script is clever, the acting is exemplary but ultimately the movie has no point.
Yes, hot on the heels of Shame and Carnage comes Jason Reitman's Young Adult.
And, because it is written by Diablo Cody, this had cinema audiences salivating like Pavlov's dogs in anticipation.
Of course, Reitman and Cody collaborated to use acclaim on Juno but there was a key reason that hit the target whereas Young Adult misses - everyone loved Ellen Page's character but is impossible to feel the same about Charlize Theron's.
Is not that Theron doesn't do a grand job in her portrayal of desperate thirtysomething Mavis Gary.
But Mavis, a failing author, is an alcoholic home wrecker who despises her lovable parents and neglects her dog. Come on, nobody is ever going to be on her side.
She returns to hick town to win back her college love (Patrick Wilson), despite knowing he is happily married with a new baby.
The problem is that she is more than a little unhinged and, apart from her obvious beauty, there is no clear reason why he should want anything to do with her.
As a result, she sees solace with the loser who she ignored at college (Patton Oswalt - the voice of Remy in Ratatouille).
Oswalt and Theron make a splendid odd couple but this doesn't stop the seeping feeling of pointlessness about the movie.
For the second night running, Mrs W slipped into the land of nod (I'm starting to worry that the poor dear is suffering narcolepsy).
Laughs: one
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: Charlize appears with pants and those fillet-type things which some women apparently stick to their boobs to save them wearing a bra...most odd.
Overall rating: 5/10
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