Michael Cera has for years been dangerously close to being typecast as the "awkward, quirky teen" that he has played in Juno, Scott Pilgrim and Superbad, to name just a handful. But Cera is so good in these roles it is easy to see why he has been so often cast in them. Youth in Revolt is perhaps the best example of the prime Cera role: Nick, a lonely teenager who meets the "perfect girl" Sheeni, and is on a relentless quest to ensure they are together forever. It may not sound like the most original plot but Youth in Revolt is so deliciously quirky and often downright hilarious that it presents itself as a fresh and untouched idea. The central idea of the film is that Nick adopts a French alter ego named Francois, which perfectly shows off the surprising scope of Cera's talents, and it works well, providing a centre point for much of the film's humour.
The amount of ideas contained within Youth in Revolt can be seen as both what sets it apart from other similar projects and as a sign of director Miguel Arteta's over ambition. Ultimately, the sheer amount of unique ideas that are thrust at the viewer from minute one means that there is always something that works. A superb supporting cast including Steve Buscemi and Zach Galifianakis works in its favour too, resulting in a vibrant and lovingly crafted piece, with a stop motion title sequence proving a particular highlight, that remained short but sweet at just under 90 minutes. Youth in Revolt is a criminally underrated film that breathes new life into the increasingly stale teen genre.
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