Still, I’ll watch it when it comes out, because Jason Reitman makes good films.

Written by: Diablo Cody
Genre: Drama

Mavis, a 30-something writer of young adult fiction who’s struggling to finish the final book in the long running series, goes back to her old home town in order to win the affection of her high school sweetheart Buddy.

When speaking to Vulture a few weeks ago, Diablo Cody had this to say about Young Adult:

It has elements of humor, but it’s pretty serious and fucked up. You don’t get to see women be antiheroes that often, where it’s like somebody like Mickey Rourke, who gets a comeback in The Wrestler. It’s rarer that you’ll have a studio say, “Let’s have an actress come back and be ugly!

After reading the screenplay I dare say she’s pretty spot on with her analysis.  It was actually pretty weird reading the script and having the protagonist/lead be so completely mean spirited, cruel and unlikeable.  I have no idea who they’d get to play Mavis but no-one’s gonna like her, not even at the end of the film because she never has that moment where she resolves to set her life in order.  She just pity fucks a cripple, makes small talk with his sister, and drives off back to the city whilst daydreaming about her high school sweetheart Buddy like the events of the film never took place.

I don’t know if I’d say the script was bad, it just wasn’t particularly good either.  Not much happens during the whole thing other than Mavis becoming an even bigger bitch, a few revelations come about, and Buddy and Beth come off as saints.  The success of the film will probably hinge on who they cast in the major roles of Mavis, Matt, Buddy and Beth.  One thing’s for certain though, this is not gonna be a film anything like Juno or Jennifer’s Body, because both of those had leads who you rooted for/liked despite either being a bratty know-it-all kid (Juno), a wide eyed nerd (Needy) or demon possessed hot chick (Jennifer).  The major characters in Young Adult are the previously mentioned mean spirited, cruel and unlikeable Mavis, the sometimes equally mean and bitter Matt, and the husband and wife Buddy and Beth whose actions are motivated by pity for Mavis and Matt.

I know a great deal of people don’t like Diablo Cody but I really enjoyed Juno and Jennifer’s Body, and I was genuinely excited to read Young Adult (hell, I broke away from reading Michael Connelly’s Angels Flight to read the whole thing just now) but I came away from it sorely disappointed.  I had no idea what it was gonna be about but I certainly expected more from it than what I ended up getting.  Those that do hate Diablo Cody, and her unique dialogue in particular, will be pleased to know that there is none of that verbal wackiness that infected both Juno and Jennifer’s Body.  Young Adult does not contain any nonsensical language.  But seen as how Young Adult is so decidedly average maybe Diablo Cody’s peculiar use of words is what translates to a good story.

RATING: 5.5/10

CONCLUSION
I hate to do it, being such a big fan of Diablo Cody and all, but the script just wasn’t that good.  My excitement was for nothing.  Read Young Adult if you want to see how to write a completely miserable, unlikeable, selfish, cruel, liar bitch.  Otherwise don’t waste your time.  Young Adult certainly isn’t enough to turn me off Diablo Cody but I’m going to try and be a little bit more subdued in my excitement the next time I get a chance to read new material of hers.

Written by: Diablo Cody
Directed by: Karyn Kusama
Genre: Comedy, horror, parody

Jennifer (Megan Fox) convinces her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) to come see a rock band at their local bar.  After a fire rips through the bar the band take Jennifer into the woods and sacrifice her to Satan in order to become famous.  The sacrifice goes wrong and Jennifer becomes inhabited by a demon and in order to stay strong Jennifer feeds on the boys in her high school.  Needy is the only one who suspects anything and sets about stopping her.

I know, it doesn’t sound that great, and depending how you feel about Diablo Cody and Megan Fox this may in fact be a movie you couldn’t be paid to watch.  I on the other hand have been looking forward to Jennifer’s Body for quite some time now.  I’m a big fan of both Megan Fox and Diablo Cody but it wasn’t just the involvement of these two which made me keep an eye on Jennifer’s Body.  Truth be told I’m an even bigger fan of the supporting cast who include Amanda Seyfried (Veronica Mars), Adam Brody (The O.C.), Chris Pratt (Everwood, Parks & Recreation), the criminally underappreciated Kyle Gallner (Veronica Mars), J.K. Simmons and Amy Sedaris.

I dare say the main reason people will either dislike, or not see, Jennifer’s Body is because it’s written by Diablo Cody.  I think the main complaint about Diablo Cody is she tries too hard to make her dialogue creative and the vast majority of the time it’s a little too cute for it’s own good.  The fact is that people don’t speak like the characters she writes, and whilst this is kinda the appeal of Diablo Cody for me, I can understand why people are turned off by her work.  Whilst I’m not turned off by her work I do notice it, and sometimes it stretches even a little further than I’d like and it’s at this point that I’m taken out of the film.  I’d say on balance there are more instances like this in Jennifer’s Body than Juno, but on the whole even these instances don’t ruin the film for me, they just act as a minor distraction.  And in all honesty I’m not really sure why such vitriol has been directed towards Diablo Cody.  Maybe those who don’t like her work or begrudge her success should simply not watch her films.  That seems like a far more sensible thing to do than cover the internet in venom filled comments.

The great thing about Jennifer’s Body is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously and I really don’t think that it should be classified as a horror.  In fact, I’m not even sure if should be classified as a comedy either because if anything it’s a hybrid of horror, comedy and parody.  That might not be something that gets people into the cinema but it’s the closest approximation of what the film is.  A prime example is the lesbian kissing scene.  It was done almost as a wink to the audience and a nod to it’s 80′s horror movie roots.  Everyone (at least all the guys) want Jennifer and Needy to kiss, so Diablo Cody was good enough to write it.  It doesn’t really shape the story in any way, other than maybe highlighting the connection between Jennifer and Needy, but it’s another nod to the 80′s horror pedigree that it’s mocking/honouring.

Final mention should be made of the awesome Amanda Seyfried.  Whilst she may not be doing the talk show rounds like Megan Fox she’s just as important a part of the film as anyone.  Although she’s an absolute knockout she’s really dressed down in the film but still manages to be a beautiful captivating presence.  As weird as it sounds, those eyes of hers are mesmerizing.  I think I could probably watch a movie that just involved her staring at the screen for 90 minutes.  I realise that’s an odd thing to say but it’s probably at least 60% true.  That’s how much I love her.

RATING: 7/10

CONCLUSION
The special effects are average (but still vastly superior to Twilight), the story is nothing special, the dialogue is too cute for its own good at times, the twist ending (although I don’t actually think it’s meant to be a “twist ending”) is nothing special, it’s not particularly scary, and it’s not particularly funny.  But you know what, none of that matters to me.  The draw of Jennifer’s Body is the actors.  That’s pretty much it.  I love everyone in the film and the absolute main reason I wanted to see the film is because of all the actors in it.  I’m glad it turned out to be exactly as I expected.

Jennifer’s Body is due for release in two weeks for those in the US and 29th October for me here in Oz.

Check out some unseen footage in this b-roll from ET.

I’m really glad that I saw the red band version first ‘cos if I’d seen the standard one I’d probably have avoided this flick like the plague.  I think you get a far better sense of the humour in the film from the red band version than the regular one, and I think it’s that aspect which is gonna really make or break the film.

I’m actually really excited to see this one.  How can you not be when it stars Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Adam Brody, Chris Pratt, Kyle Gallner, J.K. Simmons and Amy Sedaris.  Plus I’m an unapologetic Diablo Cody fan.

The film opens on 18th September.

Regular version

Red Band version