When you make a film about someone who is not likeable, it can be a bit tricky to pull off. If the character is a villain then it’s easier but if it is someone more relatable, it can be a little off-putting for some. This is the case with Young Adult, the 2011 film directed by Jason Reitman. While it was a success commercially and critically, not everyone was too taken with it. To be fair, it is completely fine when this happens. But why does this happen ? Is it not possible to make films about people whom we do not like or do we have to relate to the characters to like the film. If you are like me, you do not care about whether the film is relatable or not and just enjoy it for what it is. Now, let’s talk about the film.
The second collaboration between Diablo Cody and Reitman produces interesting results. In my opinion, Juno is the superior film but there are many things to admire about this film as well. Firstly, it has an absolutely incredible performance by Charlize Theron. She manages to make this kind of a person feel sympathetic. The writing by Cody is another strong aspect of the film that works. And not to mention, it has great supporting work from Patton Oswalt. If you look at the film as just cinema, it becomes easier to enjoy it. I guess what I am trying to say is that, you do not always have to relate or like something to enjoy it. If you loosen up a bit, you may actually end up having a good time even with a film like this. Though it may seem dull at certain points, there is a lot of truth that is being said and that alone makes it worth watching. I’m not sure if what I said is exactly what I wanted to say. Anyway, thanks for reading.
Until next time, bye.
Films & Frames 