Young Adult -3 smiles

Insensitive, egocentric, self-deluding. These are words that describe Charlize Theron’s character, Mavis Gray, in “Young Adult,” a movie that focuses on discomfort and provides no concluding catharsis. A dark comedy that confirms Diablo Cody as a screenwriter of merit and validates Jason Reitman’s ability as a director, “Young Adult” posits that people don’t change. Mavis’s life peaked when she was in high school and it’s been floundering ever since. The ex-prom queen lives alone in a Minneapolis apartment, where she spends time feeling sorry for herself, drinking two-liter bottles of Diet Coke and sleeping in front of the television. Deciding to recapture the happiest period of her life, Mavis resolves to reconnect with her high school boyfriend, Buddy (Patrick Wilson), not caring that he’s happily married with a new baby.

Cody’s script has sympathy for Mavis, but she’s not an appealing character. Rather she’s so unhappy that she compensates by manipulating everyone she encounters, single-mindedly pursuing her goals with total disregard for the feelings and desires of others. Mavis is a challenging role and in Theron’s capable hands, Mavis comes to life with her immature actions and deluded behavior. The script also provides two perspectives that Reitman handles well. First, there’s Mavis and her self-absorbed behavior. That’s balanced with Matt (an excellent Patton Oswalt), whose feelings more closely resemble ours. Matt sees everything that’s absurd about Mavis – he understands that Buddy is happy with his family and has no interest in Mavis. He also understands that Mavis is miserable. Matt is probably a better match for Mavis because he understands and accepts her for what she is, but that would be another movie. If there’s a weakness, it’s that the conclusion lacks an emotional punch. Mavis doesn’t have an epiphany. We go on a difficult journey with her and she never gains a sense of what’s really important in life. So if you’re looking for a feel-good holiday movie, “Young Adult” isn’t it. 11/30/11