Preview: Young Adult

R for immaturity, life lessons not learned, pretty people acting ugly

Release Date: December 9, 2011

Some people are thankful for family. Personally, I’m more thankful for nepotism.

Why? Because nepotism brought us a boy named Jason, the son of director Ivan Reitman. Jason’s first three films - Thank You For Smoking, Juno, and Up in the Air – stand as testament to the fact that sometimes the most talented young artists come from the most predictably famous of parents.

Much as I loved Ivan’s films Ghostbusters and Twins, Jason’s are even better: funny, inventive, dark, affecting. The Reitmans offer proof that a genetic line need not always yield diminishing marginal returns.

Young Adult should sustain Jason’s streak. It looks to be Charlize Theron’s funniest role since Arrested Development, and Patrick Wilson’s funniest role since ever. It also stars demigod Patton Oswalt, who – if commenters at the Onion AV Club are to be trusted – ought to be on Mount Rushmore, or at least on several forms of American currency. ~Ben Orlin – See more reviews at pg13foruglycast.com