Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2011: Jason Reitman’s Young Adult

#83. Young Adult

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer(s): Diablo Cody
Producers: Diablo Cody, Lianne Halfon, Mason Novick, Jason Reitman, Russell Smith and Charlize Theron
Distributor: Paramount Pictures.

The Gist: The story centers on Mavis, an attractive, but single — and misguided and lost — mid-thirties young adult novel writer living in Minneapolis. Divorced, but not entirely unhappy, this woman’s life is one day radically transformed when she receives a birth announcement from Buddy, an old, still-idealized ex-boyfriend, triggering something deep inside her. Shook up from the announcement, the insecure and neurotic woman concocts an ill-conceived plan to go visit the small town where she grew up and where her ex-bf still lives with his new wife and child.….(more)

Cast: Charlize Theron, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe and Patton Oswalt.

List Worthy Reasons…: In six short years Reitman has given us plenty to munch on with Thank You for Smoking (2005), Juno (2007) and Up in the Air (2009) and if I had to put money on it, this might just be the film that has the least appeal but might score the filmmaker his highest praise. Returning to a female protag via his Diablo Cody, apparently this tackles some of the darker sides of the human condition and might just make us forget about all the terrible career choice moves Charlize Theron has made since winning Oscar. I’m calling this the dark horse pick for 2011.  

Release Date/Status?: Still in production, Paramount haven’t pegged this with a release date yet, my thinking is this will be shown at TIFF before it’s theatrical release.