Living up to the Academy Award-winning brilliance that was Juno has been a little tricky for screenwriter Diablo Cody.

Sure, her foray into TV with the United States of Tara was also acclaimed, but her second film, Jennifer’s Body, was a dud – and with Young Adult she misses the mark again.

It’s a shame because the concept has the potential to be hysterical: Mavis Gary, a former prom queen who fled her small town and went on to become a moderately successful writer of teen fiction, returns home to reconnect with her high school sweetheart.

The catch? He’s married with a newborn.

But, as the story unfolds, the idea falls flat.

Rather than coming across as sympathetic, self-obsessed Mavis (Charlize Theron, who has been nominated for a Golden Globe for her role) is just too bitchy and deluded.

It’s unlikely you’ll want to see her snag her man – or even learn a life lesson.

Before long, you’ll just want her to stop what she’s doing and go back to her sad, single life in the big city.