The Trouble with Quibbles: Young Adult

Young Adult is the second collaboration between director Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody. And though Young Adult is somewhat similar to Juno in its quirkiness, it is a much different film. Darker. Richer. Both Cody and Reitman’s work has matured in the time since Juno.

Young Adult follows Mavis (Charlize Theron), an egocentric writer who’s achieved mild success ghost-writing a popular young adult series. Upon learning that her former high school flame, Buddy (Patrick Wilson), is happily married and has recently become a father, Mavis decides to win him back and rescue him from his boring small-town life. Once she returns home she forms an unlikely bond with once-and-future-geek Matt (Patton Oswalt), who advises her against pursuing her former beau. But Mavis knows best, she and Buddy belong together.

Opening Weekend: Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

This weekend Russell Brand plays the soon-to-be Easter Bunny who decides he’d rather move to Hollywood and be a rock-n-roll drummer. It’s a kids movie, so I’m guessing there won’t be any soul-crushing reality leading to the seedy side of the San Fernando Valley.

Jake Gyllenhaal is stuck on infinite repeat in Source Code, trying to change the course of history. As he re-lives the same eight minutes of another man’s life, the real question is: will he and Michelle Monaghan find time for a quickie?

And after tragedy strikes, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne’s family experiences some unsettling changes. (No, not puberty.)