Young Adult

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Written by: Diablo Cody

Overall, I tend to look at Jason Reitman movies with a bit of bitterness. Partially because I find his tone a simultaneously smug and whiny. Partially because they seem like the kind of movies I would make if I had his pedigree and position. And partially because they're a heck of a lot better than if I would have made them. In any case, I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by his most recent film - "Young Adult."

The film tells the story of Mavis Gary (Theron), a young adult novelist seemingly one bad day away from a nervous breakdown. When she gets an e-mail announcement about her ex-boyfriend's new child, Mavis decides to head back to her hometown and try to respark the love they once had. But Mavis's homecoming romanticism is put in perspective by Matt Freehauf (Oswalt), who pushes her to accept reality, all leading to the dramatic climax.

To start: Both Charlize Theron and Patton Oswalt give performances are out-of-this-world (although Oswalt's character's geekiness may or may not be too far from reality for him). Theron is adeptly able to play her over-the-top character with a masterful subtlety. Oswalt is somehow able to be charming and repulsive at the same time.

I'm not going to say the film is perfect. It isn't. I wouldn't even call it "great with a capital G." But it's definitely an excellent example of some of the recent heights of independent film production, and is well worth seeing.