Celebrated for her performance as serial killer Eileen Wuoronos in Patty Duke’s Monster, Charlize Theron is just as good in this smart, bitter comedy from 2011. Mavis Gray (Theron) returns to her old stomping ground, having managed to make a living for herself as the author of a young adult series. She considers herself a success, but the inhabitants of the Minnesota township are barely aware of her. Mavis sets about planning to win the heart of her high-school sweetheart (Patrick Wilson), without considering his family ties. Instead, she ends up in bed with Patton Oswald, and refuses to learn any lessons from her folly. Jason Reitman’s film as a few good laughs, but it’s also an accomplished character-study of a woman who is all glitter on the outside, but steadfastly refuses to admit the truth about herself.
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