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YOUNG ADULT (2011)Movie Reviews
Comedy drama about a woman who revisits her hometown to relive her high school glory days and forms a bond with a former classmate, a man who hasn't gotten over high school either. Cast:Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth ReaserDirector:Jason ReitmanRelease Date:December 9, 2011DVD Release:April 24, 2012From:ParamountRating:RLength:1 hr 34 min
Young Adult (2011) played in national release to very good reviews. • Joe Morgenstern wrote in the Wall Street Journal, "...a cockeyed comic triumph.... This is partly a function of Ms. Cody's script.... It's equally a tribute to Ms. Theron's fearless reach and formidable range..." • And Dan Kois wrote for Slate, "...doesn't fully work, but it's still one of the year's most memorable movies." More Reviews Below...
Young Adult (2011) Positive Reviews (49 Reviews, reviews below)
Richard Corliss, Time: GOOD "...small and modest... packs some ornery truths about compromise as the key to an arrested adolescent's survival as a real adult. In a thorny role, Theron is splendid..."(See all of Richard Corliss's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 997 words, 12/09/11
Christy Lemire, Associated Press: VERY GOOD(cg) "...dares you to stick with an anti-heroine who makes no apologies for her deplorable behavior. It's an exciting thing to see... Theron continues to show her versatility..."(See all of Christy Lemire's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 742 words, 12/08/11
Eric Andersson, Us Weekly: VERY GOOD(cg) "In the hands of a lesser actress, Mavis could have become a caricature. But Theron plays the faded prom queen with a quiet vulnerability, giving a fully realized portrait..."(See all of Eric Andersson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 93 words, 12/08/11
Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...bumps along with nasty swerves, middle finger proudly in the air, toward an ending blessedly free of anything warm, fuzzy, or optimistic."(See all of Lisa Schwarzbaum's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 670 words, 12/09/11
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: VERY GOOD(cg) "Patton Oswalt deserves cheers as Matt, a former classmate who pops Mavis' delusions with soul-crushing honesty. His dark duet with Theron is funny, touching and vital."(See all of Peter Travers's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 210 words, 12/09/11
Claudia Puig, USA Today: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a precisely drawn portrait of a surly, emotionally stunted woman. Mavis doesn't seem to know where her teen fiction leaves off and real life begins."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 424 words, 12/09/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The character of Mavis makes 'Young Adult' tricky to process. As I absorbed it, I realized what a fearless character study it is. That sometimes it's funny doesn't hurt."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 969 words, 12/09/11
Glenn Kenny, MSN Movies: EXCELLENT(cg) "...brisk, sharp and mordantly funny... sometimes moving and eventually troubling.... Reitman's direction is almost European in its particular dryness..."(See all of Glenn Kenny's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 755 words, 12/05/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "There are isolated instances when the film strikes the right comedic and dramatic notes... but it's mostly a string of out-of-tune chords."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 979 words, 12/07/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (14 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: MODERATE "Shorter than a bad blind date... shrouds its brilliant, brave and breathtakingly cynical heart in the superficial blandness of commercial comedy."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,074 words, 12/09/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...perfectly observed black comedy... may at times be stuck between emotional gears, but that's by design. Like its heroine, the movie refuses to pick up after itself."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 486 words, 12/09/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "When it's done right, as it is in 'Young Adult,' there is something absolutely mesmerizing about watching a train wreck unfold on screen."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 913 words, 12/09/11
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: VERY GOOD(cg) "...has the dark (sometimes very dark) wit to wear its ambitions lightly.... boasts a killer breakout performance by comic Patton Oswalt..."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 657 words, 12/09/11
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "This is train-wreck human misbehavior all the way. You watch horrified by Mavis' delusions. Cody has created a role offering Theron a lot of room..."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 475 words, 12/09/11
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...features a fearless performance by Charlize Theron.... Patton Oswalt's sensitive performance is the film's second heart."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 354 words, 12/16/11
David Edelstein, New York Magazine: WEAK "...a tight, hilarious first half-hour... [then,] cheap cynicism creeps in gradually... The problem with Reitman isn't that he's shallow, but that he thinks he's deep and edgy."(See all of David Edelstein's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 513 words, 12/09/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "The character of Mavis makes 'Young Adult' tricky to process. As I absorbed it, I realized what a fearless character study it is. That sometimes it's funny doesn't hurt."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 969 words, 12/09/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "...might be brushed off as curdled rom-com were it not for two things.... first is the depth of Theron's performance.... second is the utter absence of the corny..."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 603 words, 12/07/11
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...the film raises life issues that it only explores on the surface, possibly because to go any deeper would be just too painful to watch."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 738 words, 12/16/11
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "Charlize Theron is at once beautiful and hard to look at, especially when drunk or half-nude (imagine that), cruel and vulnerable..."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 453 words, 12/15/11
KEY CITIES (13 Reviews)
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...too creepy and acerbic to be consistently comic.... It doesn't work, but it's amusing to listen to, as well as ultimately rather moving."(See all of Michael O'Sullivan's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 634 words, 12/16/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...mature and humane... centered on a misanthropic female antihero. Think of it as 'Juno's' wicked stepsister.... another of Minnesota's enduring and iconic film characters."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 553 words, 12/09/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: EXCELLENT(cg) "It's unlike most movies we're used to seeing. Reitman makes bold choices with the story. Not all are fun to watch in the moment, but they add up to a satisfying portrait..."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 582 words, 12/16/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: VERY GOOD(cg) "The movie doesn't weigh that much, but it has a kind of point-blank piquancy that has gradually seeped out of American comedies."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 961 words, 12/16/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...finally stumbles not because it tries to make us like Mavis, but because everyone else in it seems to... No one ever calls her on her undeserved snobbishness..."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 574 words, 12/09/11
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...achieves a specific tone... The tone might be described as a combination of two perspectives, which throughout are viewing the action at a remove."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 663 words, 12/09/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...not much happens, and not much gets resolved. But it's enjoyable as a character study, of a character most of us wouldn't want to meet."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 466 words, 12/16/11
Steve Persall, St. Petersburg Times: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...a daredevil act for everyone involved, including the audience, with expectations dashed at every turn and replaced by outrageous humor."(See all of Steve Persall's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 516 words, 12/15/11
Tom Long, Detroit News: GOOD(cg) "...may be the year's most engaging feel-bad movie. Mean-spirited and cruel at its core, it's still a lot of fun to watch..."(See all of Tom Long's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 305 words, 12/16/11
J. Hoberman, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD "...might be brushed off as curdled rom-com were it not for two things.... first is the depth of Theron's performance.... second is the utter absence of the corny..."(See all of J. Hoberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 603 words, 12/07/11
Katey Rich, Cinema Blend: OUTSTANDING(cg) "Theron, Cody and Reitman earn every difficult moment, and pepper it with humor and terrific performances that keep the audience from feeling actively tortured."(See all of Katey Rich's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 659 words, 12/09/11
Alicia Potter, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Preachy dialogue aside, Theron and Patton Oswalt's subtle chemistry deepens this surprisingly sympathetic portrait of a bitch on the brink."(See all of Alicia Potter's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 141 words, 12/15/11
Alison Willmore, AV Club: EXCELLENT(cg) "Theron's is an impressive performance that's rarely showy... the restrained direction and screenplay offer it support, at least until a rushed final act..."(See all of Alison Willmore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 422 words, 12/08/11
S.T. VanAirsdale, Movieline: OUTSTANDING(cg) "...offers intriguing points of view about a lot of subjects: The perils of nostalgia; the mythology of midlife crises; the value of community; and the futility of self-loathing..."(See all of S.T. VanAirsdale's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,061 words, 12/08/11
R. Kurt Osenlund, Slant: VERY GOOD(cg) "Theron is about as game as it gets, working cunty wonders with her million-dollar stinkface and ardently flipping off any modest boundary..."(See all of R. Kurt Osenlund's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,005 words, 12/07/11
Susan G. Cole, Toronto Now: EXCELLENT(cg) "Charlize Theron is at once beautiful and hard to look at, especially when drunk or half-nude (imagine that), cruel and vulnerable..."(See all of Susan G. Cole's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 453 words, 12/15/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: OUTSTANDING "...a cockeyed comic triumph.... This is partly a function of Ms. Cody's script.... It's equally a tribute to Ms. Theron's fearless reach and formidable range..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 682 words, 12/09/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: MODERATE "Shorter than a bad blind date... shrouds its brilliant, brave and breathtakingly cynical heart in the superficial blandness of commercial comedy."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,074 words, 12/09/11
Bob Mondello, NPR: GOOD "...at times like a mashup of styles and genres -- part curdled rom-com, part psycho-prom-queen flick, with a little 'Revenge of the Nerds' thrown in."(See all of Bob Mondello's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 362 words, 12/09/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "When it's done right, as it is in 'Young Adult,' there is something absolutely mesmerizing about watching a train wreck unfold on screen."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 913 words, 12/09/11
Dan Kois, Slate: VERY GOOD "...doesn't fully work, but it's still one of the year's most memorable movies... a ruthless portrait of a heroine with a serious love/loathe relationship with herself."(See all of Dan Kois's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 671 words, 12/08/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: MODERATE "...an intermittently engaging fable of American homecoming that's both intentionally and unintentionally awkward, and flavored from bitter to sour all the way through."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,371 words, 12/07/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Peter Debruge, Daily Variety: VERY GOOD "...revels in breaking the rules of safe Hollywood storytelling... features character moments so true, one can't help but laugh in pained recognition."(See all of Peter Debruge's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,025 words, 12/04/11
Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD "...a smartly observed, well acted but narrowly conceived story about a deluded author of teen novels who plots to win back her high school boyfriend..."(See all of Todd McCarthy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,313 words, 12/04/11
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: EXCELLENT "When it's done right, as it is in 'Young Adult,' there is something absolutely mesmerizing about watching a train wreck unfold on screen."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 913 words, 12/09/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: VERY GOOD(cg) "...extremely well acted... It's Reitman's most conventional and predictable film to date, one in which everything is spelled out for the audience..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 767 words, 12/06/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: MODERATE "Shorter than a bad blind date... shrouds its brilliant, brave and breathtakingly cynical heart in the superficial blandness of commercial comedy."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,074 words, 12/09/11
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: OUTSTANDING "...a cockeyed comic triumph.... This is partly a function of Ms. Cody's script.... It's equally a tribute to Ms. Theron's fearless reach and formidable range..."(See all of Joe Morgenstern's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 682 words, 12/09/11
14.7 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Young Adult (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 14.7 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Young Adult (2011) (49 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Young Adult (2011)'s reviews cover 95.8% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 30,953 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 632 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 3.8 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Young Adult (2011)'s reviews on average broke 3.8 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Young Adult (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Young Adult (2011) (49 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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