Flashback Post: Young Adult

Originally from October 20, 2011, but I never finished writing it. So here you go:

The latest chapter in my life as an acquaintance of Diablo Cody's was closed last night as practically the whole Lounge Lizards crew and I were ON THE LIST to go see a very secret screening of Cody & Jason Reitman's "Young Adult," starring Charlize Theron & Patton Oswalt.

I wasn't on the original email list from Diablo herself to the Minnesota crew. The email was forwarded to me by our main Diabs liaison: "FREE MOVIE" the subject line read. Then followed a note from D--Brook. Brook is what I call her now. I feel like it's more appropriate with her motherhood thing and being less in the public eye, now she's not so much a celebrity as a just person that writes and gets paid for it. Very handsomely, I imagine. But I digress. Brook offered us all a place on the list for VIP reserved seating in the theater. I emailed with an RSVP yes to the liaison before tracking Brook's email down to tell her myself I would be there. I wasn't expecting a response, but I got one:

"Courtney, I'm so glad you're coming! It should be a nice night.

I hope all is well with you too-- I've been following your career all this time, it looks like you're having a blast and kicking ass. Hope to talk more soon when I have a nice Polish cocktail in front of me.

See you very soon! xoxo"

Wha wha wha WHAAAAA??? She's "been following" my career "all this time?" That seriously made my day, be it lip service or not.

Fast forward to last night. My girls and I arrived 15 minutes prior to showtime at the theater where a line wrapped around the side of the building. Urgent texts from another friend made us believe we may have missed our chance to get inside, that we would have to wait in the line. We walked past a woman who harshly announced, "It's sold out." We said, "We're on the list." A moment of hesitation and the woman retorted, "So was I!" Uh oh. But remember when we went to the preview of "Juno?" We had reserved seats! My girls are bold. One of us slipped inside the door to the box office to see one of our fellow VIPers in line for concessions, instructing us to tell the gal at the table at the front of the line our names and they would be... on the list. And so they were.

We got our tickets and headed inside to see two halves of "Reserved" rows filled by our buddies: the circle of friends through which I was initially introduced to Brook. The people with whom I've attended countless nights of karaoke and parties, one of which was at the Playboy Mansion for Brook's birthday a few years ago. And it felt like the band was back together. I wasn't in Minnesota to watch Brook's rise to fame; I arrived a few months after she had already moved to Los Angeles just as "Juno" was being released. But I felt at home as The Adopted in this little group and last night it felt like I was there all along.

Apparently the people who had received passes to the movie didn't even know what movie they were going to see, or that Brook & director Jason Reitman would be there. But it was a full theater of fans when the two of them walked out into the auditorium to greet the cheering crowd.

As for the movie itself, I did enjoy it, despite it leaving a pain in my chest from the excruciatingly visceral assholishness and stupidity of Mavis Gary. The movie's got no redemptive arc, which is fine by me; I kinda wanted to see what "eventually happens" to the character though. Does she get what's coming to her? Or is nothing coming to her and well, sorry peeps, that's life? The film was apparently just how Brook wanted it to be, so I think we're looking at the latter. Sometimes people just keep going through life the way they want to see it. I guess that makes Mavis Gary an everywoman.

The movie ended, we clapped, and Brook shuffled up the aisle from the front of the theater, leaned over us and said, "Nye's? See you at Nye's?" Broadcast it, why doncha, girl? We wanna hog you all to ourselves.

On our way out, we got this pretty rad poster commemorating the evening:



Upon arriving at Nye's, everyone was already there and standards were being sung accompanied by the pianist, and what's this? Brook sitting at a table signing our posters? Back to the car we went to retrieve them, against the warnings of our fellow VIPers, assuming that Brook would feel put out to sign posters for her friends. At any rate, I now have an autographed "Young Adult" poster.

I went out for a smoke (yes, I had started smoking again earlier this year and have since quit again for 2 months) and when I came back in, I learned that everyone, including Brook, had been telling Todd how awesome I am. Nothing like coming in from a self-esteem-destroying activity into a freshly-laundered Snuggie of compliments, including another one from Brook about my adorable rainbow pixie cut. "I went to Burning Man this year," I explained regarding my coif. "Oh yeah, Burning Man'll do that to ya," she replied," I've always wanted to go." I highly recommended it and I think I threw in something about Kidsville (a camp at BM where there are children of varying ages; I saw 4-year-olds, I'm pretty sure).


Me N Todd, photo by Molly P

Brook got up to sing a song, which I don't remember, but I do remember being absolutely BLOWN AWAY by her voice. I've heard her sing before and every time, I'm just floored by what a compelling and naturally high voice she has. I was inspired to write a duet, which I never did, but I might do soon.

I also ate most of Jason Reitman's birthday cake.

There was this woman that was sitting amongst us who later got into the car to go back to the hotel with Brook & Jason. I think her name was Megan. I didn't recognize her; I think she may have been with the movie company? But she told me she was watching me from behind during the movie that evening. And she said I was laughing at all the things no one else was laughing at... and it was for that reason she could tell why Brook and I were such good friends. I told her that, unfortunately, Brook and I weren't that close, that I mostly knew her peripherally through all these other wonderful people, but that I knew she and I have a similar sense of humor and if given the chance, would probably become good friends. Maybe someday.

Anyway, Young Adult. Go see it.