Adventureland (B or 3/4 stars)
'Adventureland', directed by Greg Mottola, follows college grad, James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), an uptight young man who takes a menial job at a local amusement park, only to find it's his 1st stepping stone to the real world. I am a nostalgia junkie (which is probably why I enjoyed Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist so much). And this film is chock full of it. Blending low-key humor with bittersweet realism, 'Adventureland' makes for a pleasant outting at the theater. The acting is spot on. But if I could pinpoint a problem with the film, it would be that it lacks that WOW factor. The foundation of the movie is so good that you wish it was that much better overall. It wraps up so tidily that I didn't want it to end.
It's the summer of '87, & James can't wait to embark on his dream trip to Europe. But when his parents announce they can no longer afford his trip, James has little choice but to accept a job as a game operator at Adventureland. So instead of vacationing & then attending Columbia in the fall, he'll be dealing with squealing children, stuffed animals, & irksome employers. The job sucks. But the compensation is that he gets to meet some rather interesting people: Mike (Ryan Reynolds), a married maintenance man who plays in a band & has a roaming eye; Joel (Martin Starr), a loveable dork whose awkwardness around girls is all-too-familiar; Lisa P (Margarita Levieva), the resident hot girl; and Em (Kristen Stewart), an appealing, but troubled young woman who emotionally connects with James.
What initially seemed to be a summer destined for gloom turns into quite the adventure as he discovers love in the most unlikeliest of places. A virgin, sure of his intelligence, but less sure of his emotions, James hits it off with the beguiling Em. A Comparative Lit major in college, he finds a sort of soul mate in this equally witty, but deeply complex girl. Their touching but rocky relationship is the heart of the film.
'Adventureland' is a tried-&-true coming-of-age story. It's not very original. But it is funny, insightful, intelligent, & well acted; particularly by Kristen Stewart. The funny parts come from several directions. There's flat-out crude comedy (the type we've become accustomed to in Apatow productions). There's subtle humor (from Bill Hader & Kristen Wiig's portrayals as James' bosses). And it's funny to watch these 21/22 yr. olds shoot the breeze by drinking and/or smoking exorbitant amounts of weed. There's one character who continually punches his friend in the groin. It's annoying after the 5th time, but it sure was funny the first few.
But along with the funny is a great deal of seriousness. There's something incredibly relevant about the story (even though it takes place 22 yrs. ago). The economy was bad, college graduates linger in that wasteland btwn. their high school years and their 'grown up' years, etc. Teen viewers & young adults will be able to relate to this movie quite well, but older viewers will also remember this kind of 'stagnant' period of their lives, as well. It's an unrecoverable past. Whether you look back on that period of your life fondly or with disdain, it can never be captured again.
Now, the film isn't perfect. There's an unevenness of tone during the movie (funny, serious, artsy, mainstream, quirky). I liked many of these tones, but the transitions don't always work. Another tiny issue: some of the supporting characters are interesting, but most are stereotypical caricatures. I would like to have seen more from several of them. And thirdly, while I really enjoyed many aspects of the screenplay, not enough of it sticks. It hits all the right notes, but doesn't strike a chord (if that makes any sense). Even the inevitable conclusion could have been more momentous. For as much as I enjoyed the movie, it drizzles away towards the end & lacks 'moments'; lacks a hook. What could have been amazing winds up just pretty good. Still, if you're to see 'Adventureland', see it for the sincere love story, some wonderfully subtle work by Kristen Stewart, & a realistic trip down memory lane.
It's the summer of '87, & James can't wait to embark on his dream trip to Europe. But when his parents announce they can no longer afford his trip, James has little choice but to accept a job as a game operator at Adventureland. So instead of vacationing & then attending Columbia in the fall, he'll be dealing with squealing children, stuffed animals, & irksome employers. The job sucks. But the compensation is that he gets to meet some rather interesting people: Mike (Ryan Reynolds), a married maintenance man who plays in a band & has a roaming eye; Joel (Martin Starr), a loveable dork whose awkwardness around girls is all-too-familiar; Lisa P (Margarita Levieva), the resident hot girl; and Em (Kristen Stewart), an appealing, but troubled young woman who emotionally connects with James.
What initially seemed to be a summer destined for gloom turns into quite the adventure as he discovers love in the most unlikeliest of places. A virgin, sure of his intelligence, but less sure of his emotions, James hits it off with the beguiling Em. A Comparative Lit major in college, he finds a sort of soul mate in this equally witty, but deeply complex girl. Their touching but rocky relationship is the heart of the film.
'Adventureland' is a tried-&-true coming-of-age story. It's not very original. But it is funny, insightful, intelligent, & well acted; particularly by Kristen Stewart. The funny parts come from several directions. There's flat-out crude comedy (the type we've become accustomed to in Apatow productions). There's subtle humor (from Bill Hader & Kristen Wiig's portrayals as James' bosses). And it's funny to watch these 21/22 yr. olds shoot the breeze by drinking and/or smoking exorbitant amounts of weed. There's one character who continually punches his friend in the groin. It's annoying after the 5th time, but it sure was funny the first few.
But along with the funny is a great deal of seriousness. There's something incredibly relevant about the story (even though it takes place 22 yrs. ago). The economy was bad, college graduates linger in that wasteland btwn. their high school years and their 'grown up' years, etc. Teen viewers & young adults will be able to relate to this movie quite well, but older viewers will also remember this kind of 'stagnant' period of their lives, as well. It's an unrecoverable past. Whether you look back on that period of your life fondly or with disdain, it can never be captured again.
Now, the film isn't perfect. There's an unevenness of tone during the movie (funny, serious, artsy, mainstream, quirky). I liked many of these tones, but the transitions don't always work. Another tiny issue: some of the supporting characters are interesting, but most are stereotypical caricatures. I would like to have seen more from several of them. And thirdly, while I really enjoyed many aspects of the screenplay, not enough of it sticks. It hits all the right notes, but doesn't strike a chord (if that makes any sense). Even the inevitable conclusion could have been more momentous. For as much as I enjoyed the movie, it drizzles away towards the end & lacks 'moments'; lacks a hook. What could have been amazing winds up just pretty good. Still, if you're to see 'Adventureland', see it for the sincere love story, some wonderfully subtle work by Kristen Stewart, & a realistic trip down memory lane.