Let’s face the facts: if you’ve already jumped off the Michael Cera bandwagon, this movie will probably not prompt you to jump back on. However, if you’re still straddling the fence, you might be pleased to see that his character in Youth in Revolt is a natural progression for Cera. It is not a full disengagement from the characteristics that made him so endearing to begin with, but it adds a welcome new layer.

Youth in Revolt is based on the first book in a series by C.D. Payne, published in 1993. Touted as a relatable new voice for teenagers, the book’s protagonist Nick Twisp became a popular “Holden Caulfield” type for their generation.

Nick is an old soul in a teenager’s body, preferring French cinema and the crooning of Frank Sinatra to typical high school shenanigans. Consequently, he has few friends, and in lieu of any actual relationships with girls, he studies a well-worn sex manual, bracing himself for the fateful day when sex might become a reality.

As is typical of most teenage comedies, the adults in Nick’s life are a bunch of buffoons. His trashy but well meaning mother (Jean Smart) has a loser boyfriend, Jerry (Zach Galifianakis), who lives with them. She spends her days in bathrobes and negligees, sporting a different fake hairpiece every day, while Jerry wears a “three-wolf moon t-shirt” without a trace of irony, making them a trailer park couple of dazzling mediocrity.

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Sarah Silverman is easily considered one of the most popular female comics working today. Unfortunately with that title often comes the inability to score roles as the sexy female lead. You never see Whoopi Goldberg as the sexy girl next door or Paula Poundstone as the attractive school teacher.

Thankfully, that’s exactly what we get with Steve Buscemi’s newest dark comedy, Saint John of Las Vegas. Silverman takes on the role of the attractive, manipulative cubical neighbor to Buscemi, who is later trumped by Emmanuel Chiriqui in the film.

The film stars Buscemi as ex-gambler John, who gets lured back into the sleazy underbelly of the City of Sin by a veteran insurance fraud investigator. The film also stars a few other folks who aren’t strangers to the world of indie comedy. Peter Dinklage (The Station Agent), Tim Blake Neslon (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), and Romany Malco (Weeds).

Take a look at the first trailer after the jump, and catch Saint John of Las Vegas in theaters on January 29.

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