Equal parts charming and quirky, “Youth in Revolt” is a clever teen romance flick that appeals to almost everyone with enough crass humor to satisfy the gents and tear-jerking moments for the ladies.

Nick Twisp (Michael Cera) is a witty 16-year-old, but no matter how cunning he is, he can’t quite seem to get a date. Nick creates Francois, his devious and bad boy alter ego, in order to land the girl of his dreams, Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday).

The film has a clever sensibility to it, especially concerning the two roles Cera juggles as Nick and Francois. For the first time, Cera breaks out of his typecast “nerd” shell and delivers a multifaceted performance.  

Doubleday is seductive and charming, giving off that girl-next-door vibe that so many teenage boys fall for.

“Youth in Revolt” isn’t standard teenage comedic fare. There are neither fart jokes nor binge drinking sessions gone awry to make audiences laugh. Rather, each character’s quirks and issues are what make the film so hysterical.  

While the ending to the film is predictable from the beginning, the movie doesn’t feel like recycled material. With enough indie charm to make even the harshest of critics grin in glee, “Youth in Revolt” manages to rise above typical teen movie stereotypes.

 “Youth in Revolt” was written by Gustin Nash and directed by Miguel Arteta.