The new Diablo Cody/Jason Reitman film, Young Adult, opened to wide release yesterday. The red carpet fashion was surprisingly modest, which seems fitting for a film whose power lies mostly in the small, nuanced moments rather than the sweepingly dramatic ones.
I have mixed feelings about Charlize Theron’s dress. On the one hand, it’s a total Wilma Flintstone dress, which is good. On the other hand, it’s a total Wilma Flintstone dress, which is bad. It also just might have one too many elements—there’s the mesh one-shoulder, the navy and black tidal wave bodice, and then there’s the white skirt that looks like someone hacked it with scissors. I like her shoes in theory, but the double whammy of mesh is cheapening my initial thrill upon seeing mesh on the red carpet.
Collette Wolfe spent most of the movie playing a mousy character in nursing scrubs, so it’s great to see her all dressed up in a kicky and fun little jumpsuit. The girl cleans up nice. When it comes to onesies, you either love ’em or hate ’em, and I happen to fall into the first category. Jumpsuits can come off looking shapeless, but Collette pulls her together with a chunky black belt and a pair of big, black earrings. It might just be her posture, but Diablo Cody looks unusually weary and slumped over. She’s not wearing the most interesting or flattering dress and her gray pumps are more fitting for a business lunch than a movie premiere. The one saving grace? She matched her lipstick perfectly to the top part of her dress.
Pairing “edgy” shoes with a “Barbie” dress can be hit or miss. In Elizabeth Reaser’s case, it was definitely a miss. Although, now that I think about it, I’m not sure if the Barbie dress-edgy shoes combo can ever be a “hit.” Her green satin dress looks like the kind of thing someone who isn’t particularly stylish wears to a “fancy” event. If that sounds damning, well it’s because it is, and I never promised beneficence, just a lot of “air quotes.”
How did the boys do? It’s a little hard to tell because the photos of Ben Kingsley and J.K. Simmons look like they were taken by photographers who were perched on the highest branch of a nearby tree… Despite the ten inches that the camera took away from Ben Kingsley, his suit looks properly fitted. J.K. Simmons has a lot of swagger, and I love it when men wear hats. Patton Oswalt is my hero right now, and it just so happens he looks great in pinstripes. Patton Oswalt FTW.