The movie centers on Charlize Theron as Mavis Gary, a previously well-regarded novelist now going through a divorce, struggling with alcohol, and feeling listless. She returns to her Minnesota hometown to reconnect with her parents—and, significantly, to pursue an affair with an ex-boyfriend who is now married and has a child. Upon arrival, she first encounters someone from high school who was previously believed to …

Young Adult centers on Mavis Gary, a 37-year-old woman whose unhappiness seems to define her; she’s immature, self-centered, and acts like a young girl trapped in an adult's body. When she learns that her former boyfriend has had a baby, she becomes convinced they are meant to be together, disregarding the fact that he is now happily married to what she considers “The Perfect Woman.” To put it plainly: Mavis is compl…