Can Michael Cera Actually Act?

With Michael Cera’s new movie, Youth in Revolt coming out soon, I couldn’t help but ask myself if he can actually act. What I’m hearing is that he can. By this I’m only referring to the fact that he’s played essentially the same exact character since he debuted to the world in Arrested Development. There hasn’t really been much of a change at all in the way he’s interpreted these characters. Whether it be Bleeker in Juno, or a “caveman” in Year One, he always plays the awkward teenager trying to find love. And delivering his lines in the exact same way. I’ll grant you that this worked in Arrested Development, and it worked perfectly for Bleeker, and even for his role in Superbad. But it was around then when I started to think, “is this kid a brilliant actor, or is it just that he can’t play anyone, or anything, else?” The latter certainly seems to be winning.

So then comes along this new movie of his, Youth in Revolt, which really seems like he might actually be challenged in a role, for once. The movie is getting decent reviews thus far (though there are very few in right now, so it’s hard to judge – trends still say something, though), and his performance is getting nice accolades as well.

Honestly, I hope the movie is good, and I hope that his performance is good, and really is different than the past stuff he’s done. He’s a charming young man and seems to have a bright future. But he really needs to start taking more challenging roles, and roles where he’s really not being typecast. Even if Youth in Revolt is a slight change in direction, he’s still playing a young guy trying to get a girl who seems out of reach. I guess that might never change.

The trailer for Youth in Revolt: