Jamie Douglas

Have you ever said something completely awkward while making a strange gesture just because you liked someone? You get that rush of anxiety that this person hates you and you swear off love forever, even as you secretly pine for him or her. At some point, you get the courage and ask the person out, or you move on to someone else. This little scenario has unfolded in every single one of Michael Cera’s recent movie roles. He plays the same awkward but cute high school student, despite really being 21. You know what to expect when seeing Cera in a trailer. The movie will be amusing, somewhat heartfelt and definitely “awkward.” The question is, what will the rest of his career be like if he’s been the same character for the past six years?

A Repetitive Past

“Arrested Development” was Cera’s career starting role as the shifty but enthusiastic George-Michael Bluth. He was young, goofy and lovable — the equivalent of a puppy you would get from the animal shelter. The role was quirky and relatable because almost everyone has a difficult time coping with puberty and early love, especially with a dysfunctional family. Cera did a good job, even though the show only lasted three seasons, so he decided to try the character again.

As Evan in “Superbad,” he played an awkward teenager who would do anything for a girl, hoping not only to have sex with her but to have a relationship as well. Cera’s quiet role was overshadowed by Jonah Hill’s overeager Seth and Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s memorable Fogel/McLovin.

In “Juno,” “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist,” and “Year One,” once again, Cera faded into the background as the lovable but harmless guy with occasionally humorous quips. Both leading female actors in each movie were equally as uncomfortable as he was, but they have had varied acting roles. “Juno” star Ellen Page still dabbles as the Indie film teen queen as seen in “Whip It,” but the dark film, “Hard Candy” (2005) demonstrates that her acting ability is multi-faceted. Kat Dennings of “Nick and Norah’s” tried a different role when she starred in “Defendor,” a small Sci-Fi movie with Woody Harrelson, shortly after Denning’s onscreen romance with Cera. He, however, has not changed his acting choices.

With all of this obvious repetition, there is a potential that this might be it for Cera. He has matured as a person since his George-Michael days, but his roles have remained stagnant. There is a disconnect between the age of the character he plays and his own age. He cannot seem to translate his current state of mind to that of someone younger in a more sophisticated way.

Assessing the Present and Future

Currently, Cera stars as an uncomfortable 16-year-old wandering purposelessly in “Youth in Revolt,” which is based on a novel written by C.D. Payne. In this film, he creates a second personality to woo a girl; thus, it is the farthest acting departure since “Arrested Development.” His white pants, thin mustache, fake contact lenses and monotone voice demonstrate a nonchalant side of his awkwardness. Despite this new persona, the film was ignored. It was entertaining, but once again, his character had minimal depth and fewer witty lines.

During opening weekend, “Youth in Revolt” earned just under $7 million, which was about a third of the production cost to make the movie. In most cases, the opening weekend is a film’s best opportunity to earn the most money, and this result does not bode well for the studio, Dimension Films, or the actors. The revenue could be chalked up to multiple reasons, including: Cera being unable to anchor a movie as a leading man, people starting to get exhausted with the same act, and the story of a guy becoming “bad” to get into a girl’s pants beginning seeming unoriginal. His first foray out of an ensemble cast or as a supporting actor has proven to be disappointing, but not completely unsuccessful.

There will always be an audience eager to see what the awkward teen will get into next, but he is visually and mentally aging. He is constantly playing a nice guy with good intentions, making him the nerdy boy next door. With “Youth in Revolt,” he is experiencing failure to draw an audience even with his proven shtick. What he needs is to play a role completely unlike his current typecasted self so that people will be interested in him as an actor rather than as a character.

If he continues on his path, he will be only known for the better roles like “Arrested Development” and “Superbad” and any possible integrity will be forgotten. Being typecast at this age is especially difficult because no one wants to see a 35-year-old portraying an awkward high school student hoping to lose his virginity. No matter how witty he is. While casting Michael Cera as an action star would be hard to believe, a deviation from his predictability would only broaden his acting abilities and Hollywood career.