Adult World

R

Released Feb 14, 2014

1 hr. 37 min.

Comedy

List

54%

35 Reviews

Tomatometer

38%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

An aspiring poet (Emma Roberts) takes a job as a clerk at an adult bookstore and tries to make her contemptuous literary idol (John Cusack) take her on as his protege.

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Critics Consensus

A mixed bag of uneven tone occasionally saved by John Cusack's astute performance leaves the audience to fend for themselves in this Adult World.

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Morten B

poorly directed. the worst 'indie' movie ever made with obnoxious characters

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/08/24

Full Review

Brian C

This was a breakthrough for Emma Roberts. A different character for her; naive, inspired, pained and ridiculous. Cusack is flawless, as always, and Evan Peters is charming and sweet. This one sneaked by me when it was released, but my daughter found it and shared it with us. We loved it. Haters are, frankly, lame. The script is wry and ahead of it's time. Recommended.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/01/23

Full Review

Abigail M

funny movie, made me laugh a lot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

08/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

An alternative independent movie that's well-acted with a little charm to it. I don't know what else to say about it... it didn't entangle itself or lose my interest, and that's alot compared to what I've been watching recently.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sure, there are plenty of films concerning the post-graduate, early twentysomething with a worthless degree, but Adult World offers a fun, funny, and at times endearing take on the sub-genre, even if Amy (Emma Roberts) can be painfully obnoxious. I had first seen this film around 2015–2016 and remember enjoying it — unlike most films of the niche genre that have the protag move to NYC or L.A. to make their art, Adult World keeps us in snowy Syracuse, NY, where Amy graduated from the eponymous university. With an RT (54/38), I don't understand the hate. Amy is a stand-in for the entitled 21st-century college graduate who was told — by parents, professors, awards, SAT scores — that they were special. This is literally the climax of the movie, where Amy throws a temper-tantrum in front of her (prior) mentor and (prior) poetic wunderkind, Rat Billings (John Cusack). Cloris Leachman plays a minor role as the pornography store owner and Evan Peters plays the store's manager and vacillating love-interest for Amy, who has a surprising arch himself. But the most notable character has to be Rubia (Armando Riesco), a trans woman who begrudgingly befriends Amy and has ¾ of the film's laugh-out-loud funny lines. Rubia is everything Amy is not: experienced and a graduate of the "School of Hard Knocks" (or maybe SUNY-Cortland). What Rat does to Amy is beyond cruel, however, which she seems to forgive way too easily. Also, Amy makes a huge deal about meeting the poet, who is also a resident of Syracuse and professor at the school from which she just majored in poetry? He teaches a class there, but she has to chase him down in a parking lot after a signing? If Rat was literally her favorite (living) poet, I assumed she would've signed up for his class or at least met him during office hours — albeit, Rat Billings does not seem like the kind of professor to keep office hours. Adult World is about that time of your life when the idealist artiste is still fully alive within you and hasn't been obliterated by the crushing gravity of the Real World, yet.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I'm surprised this movie doesn't have better reviews. With great actors and a humorous script, it offers a good perspective on early adulthood in the 21st century. The music is timed well and the main characters are developed adequately.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

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Scott Coffey

Director

Emma Roberts

Amy

John Cusack

Rat Billings

Evan Peters

Alex

Armando Riesco

Rubia

Cloris Leachman

Mary Anne

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Smiley Face

TRAILER

for Smiley Face

57%

42%

The Beach Bum

TRAILER

for The Beach Bum

83%

59%

The Double

52%

36%

Ride

91%

80%

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Jenni Miller

Film.com

Adult World is more aggravating than endearing, although there's an interesting idea buried beneath all the cutesy plot details.

Rated: 5/10

Jun 9, 2017

Full Review

Bruce Ingram

Chicago Sun-Times

Adult World does have some smart, funny and wincingly painful things to say about the desire to make art vs. the desire to be famous for it.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 7, 2014

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

Roberts is completely over-the-top here, her frantic, unfunny performance serving only to highlight Cusack's caginess and restraint.

Mar 6, 2014

Full Review

Theresa Smith

Independent Online (South Africa)

There is potentially a good movie bubbling under the surface in the interaction between Amy and Rat and especially in the hinted-at desperation of her struggle to make a success of her life, but this is overtaken by the tedious melodramatic whining.

Rated: 2/5

Mar 7, 2016

Full Review

Jason Best

Movie Talk

Cusack is fabulously droll as the reluctant mentor, while Armando Riesco delivers a touchingly off-kilter performance as the drag queen who also provides the heroine with lessons in life.

Aug 25, 2014

Full Review

Clayton Davis

AwardsCircuit.com

Completely stealing the show and delivering my favorite supporting turn of the year so far is Armando Riesco.

Rated: 3.5/4

Jul 4, 2014

Full Review

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Synopsis

An aspiring poet (Emma Roberts) takes a job as a clerk at an adult bookstore and tries to make her contemptuous literary idol (John Cusack) take her on as his protege.

Director: Scott Coffey
Executive Producer: Paul Green, Mohammed Al Turki
Screenwriter: Andy Cochran
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Tree House Pictures, Anonymous Content
Rating: R (Some Drug Use|Sexual Content)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 14, 2014, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 5, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $4.4K
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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