It’s hard not to like Michael Cera, and liking Michael Cera is almost enough to make me like this movie. Almost, but not quite.

“Youth in Revolt” is a strange hybrid – part 80’s sex farce, part faux Wes Anderson whimsyfest. Unfortunately for the fine cast assembled here, the script never catches fire in either direction. While the film is generally amiable, the comedy set pieces are a little too far apart. If you’ve seen the trailers, you’ve seen all the belly laughs the film has to offer. What remains is a fairly standard “awkward teen comes of age” story populated with stock clueless adults and disposable sidekicks.

The day is almost saved by the winning dual performance of Cera as the gawky, nervous Nick Twisp and his equally gawky but somehow badass alter-ego Francois Dillinger. I suspect that Cera is running out of time to play high-school misfits, but this is as good a performance to end the run on as any.

“Youth in Revolt” will be on DVD soon enough – no need to rush to the multiplex.