THIS IS OUR YOUTH Reviews- Page 3

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 9/23/14 at 11:17am

Huh??????


Look, we have all seen plays--some of them highly acclaimed--where we sit in the audience, feeling excluded and thinking "God, who cares about these people???" (For the record, my own bete noire is CLOSER) But the obsession with likeability is a one-way ticket to mediocre thinking. If you want likeable as your gold standard, just stick with Disney's regular output and try to avoid everything falling between Ibsen and LaBute.

[mjohnson2]

Posted: 9/23/14 at 11:26am

Sounds okay with me, though I might skip the Disney fare and move right on to Rodgers and Hammerstein or Lerner and Loewe

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/23/14 at 11:30am

People take the concept of character likability too literally. Character likability doesn't mean that one necessarily personally likes a character, much less that character's conduct. Rather it means that the character interests us enough to engage us and draw us into his or her specific qualities, journey and, in a great many instances, personal flaws or defects, even major ones. I happen to think the characters in This is Our Youth meet this test; others of course might disagree.

Updated On: 9/23/14 at 11:30 AM

[GilmoreGirlO2]

Posted: 9/23/14 at 12:10pm

For me, there is a difference between liking characters and caring about what happens to them. I can dislike a character, but still feel invested in their outcome. I can also like characters, but not give two figs what happens to them.

I think what is often the case for me is when I dislike a character AND don’t care about them, I find that the play/character is usually underwritten (or, the actors aren’t finding more human emotions within their characters). There are many characters I dislike – despise, even – but if the playwright (or screenwriter or author) has given them the full depth and complexity that is in us as humans, there is usually more than just a “bad” or “annoying” character there (often we see why they act the way they do), which helps me to still be invested in their story.

Also, so often I think we are supposed to like a character, but they are beyond unlikable. It’s those moments when my brain shuts off and I am unable to connect with caring about the characters.

As for “Youth,” I certainly don’t necessarily like any of the characters (Culkin’s character, in particular), but I do think the play and these actors have given them each enough depth and humanity that I still feel for them.

[AndrewAndrew]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 11:10am

Video review of "This Is Our Youth" with Michael Cera, Kieran Culkin, and Tavi Gevinson.


Click Here for Review of THIS IS OUR YOUTH Updated On: 10/11/14 at 11:10 AM

[Ariella]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 1:54pm

I agree with henrikegerman. These characters aren't pleasant to watch, but they can be fascinating. In this case, I think the independent characters are much stronger than the content/structure of the play itself, so a lot of its success rides on the performances. For me, Cera and especially Culkin made it worth watching.

ArtMan - I've encountered Culkin several times this fall and liked him. He's very very sarcastic and caustic in a deadpan way, but not nasty. I can't speak to his stage door manner, but maybe he was just ribbing you.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 3:58pm

Thanks for your comments Ariella. Yes, looking back I would say sarcastic. I took it personally because I really liked his performance and actually saw the show. Many who were next to me didn't even see the show ( I asked ). I felt he was far "kinder/friendlier" to them.

Updated On: 10/11/14 at 03:58 PM