Adventureland
Too smart, too sophisticated and too inexperienced, recent college grad James is put out to find he's at the bottom of the pile when it comes to the summer job market.
Fortunately there are always jobs so undemanding that even the desperately over-educated can do them. Pittsburgh amusement park Adventureland is full of them. And so it is that James (Jesse Eisenberg) finds himself trying to drum up excitement as tin horses gallop from one end of his stall to the other.
Cast details
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Kristen Stewart
Born: 09 Apr 1990
Los Angeles, CaliforniaTop rated films View all Twilight Saga, The - New Moon (2009) 
Twilight Saga, The - Eclipse
The wage may be paltry, but there are other compensations. Namely “Em” (Kristen Stewart), who is in a similar boat, and who warms to James when she discovers he’s a reliable source of weed.
Writer-director Greg Mottola established his knack for observational comedy with a low budget gem called The Daytrippers some ten years ago. But he struggled to follow that up, and only recently made his second film, the much broader – and very popular – Superbad.
At first Adventureland looks like it’s going to be in a similar vein to that hit – and many other raucous teen comedies. There’s a certain stress on James’ virginity, for instance, the presence of familiar Judd Apatow associates Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig (as the park’s managers) and Martin Starr (as the resident pipe-smoking intellectual) to consider. There’s even an extended supporting role by Ryan Reynolds as the park’s caretaker – trailing memories of Van Wilder, Harold & Kumar et al.
In truth, Adventureland doesn’t reinvent the wheel – cars are wrecked, stomachs are emptied, boners are mocked – but as the summer goes on the mood turns more thoughtful, and Mottola burrows a little deeper under the skin. It becomes obvious that this is an autobiographical story – it’s set in the mid-80s, when he really did work in an amusement park for the summer, and when Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” really did seem to be inescapable.
Adventureland: Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg
Obviously adept with actors, Mottola respects his characters too much to let first impressions stick. The relationships in Adventureland are much richer, and stickier, for it. The understanding that James arrives at with his father (Jack Gilpin) for example, is delineated in just a handful of looks and glances between them, but it’s enough to imply the older man’s resignation at his fate, and his appreciation for James’ tacit sympathy.
Blessed with comical seriousness, Jesse Eisenberg (the older brother in The Squid And The Whale) is like a young Woody Allen fretful, intelligent, naïve and deluded. Also like Woody, he seems to enjoy more than his fair share of luck with the opposite sex.
Altogether more surprising is the way that Kristen Stewart is allowed to take Em into murkier waters. Looking wan and pensive (the Twilight star always looks in need of a good night’s sleep), Em gives the impression she’s living life more acutely than the others; she seems to have more on the line. Almost all the movie’s emotional intrigue derives from her anger and confusion.
A teen movie for people who’ve grown out of their adolescence, Adventureland goes beyond sex jokes and stereotypes to capture moments of ordinary and tumultuous life experience with a tender, sympathetic eye.
Reviews
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Critics' reviews
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Read an exclusive interview with the director One of comedy mogul Judd Apatows most creditable achievements has been... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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29 out of 30 people found this review helpful
so good!!!
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- princess1234 from Manchester
- Posted 25 Jun 2009 08:43
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8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Hop aboard the rollercoaster of life
The latest film from the makers of Superbad-but don’t let that put you off. Written and directed by Greg Mottola; Adventureland is based on his own experiences of growing up and working in an amusement park one summer. Like a good few other films released this year, Adventureland is a nostalgic 1980s set movie that harks back to the golden age of mix tapes, VHS, Atari arcade games, and a world without mobile phones, text messages and e-mails. In making a period piece, Mottola creates a profound yearning for a simpler past without all the distractions of the modern world. All the technology is stripped down and so too are his trademark crudeness and misogynistic teen gross out stuff. Instead he has created a very funny and touching coming-of-age comedy-drama that is way ahead of everything he has previously made. He really shows the awkwardness and anguish of being a young adult and trying to find your way in the world, both with relationships and your career. The film also contains an excellent performance from Kristen Stewart as a fellow social misfit and Adventureland employee, but above all, Mottola has created something very few coming-of-age films contain; a film full of heart with great sincerity.
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Very cheesey!
Went and saw this today in the cinema as a special preview before it was released, i was so exctied about seeing it and could not wait!
But i was extremely dissapointed!
With such a strong cast i thought this film would be excellent, the teen movie of the year! But it wasn't. THere were so many cheesey moments and they could have done a LOT more with the story line and made it alot more funnier.
Only see this if you get amused VERY easily. Wouldn't recommed it. -
Most recent members' reviews (2)
View all -
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Very cheesey!
Went and saw this today in the cinema as a special preview before it was released, i was so exctied about seeing it and could not wait!
But i was extremely dissapointed!
With such a strong cast i thought this film would be excellent, the teen movie of the year! But it wasn't. THere were so many cheesey moments and they could have done a LOT more with the story line and made it alot more funnier.
Only see this if you get amused VERY easily. Wouldn't recommed it. -
a real gem
This film captures the awkwardness of being a young adult with stunning sensitivity and humour, The acting is superb and all of the characters are authentic and individual, theres none of the obvious sterotypes you usually get with these types of movies. Its a warming coming of age story, watch it!
-
29 out of 30 people found this review helpful
so good!!!
-
- princess1234 from Manchester
- Posted 25 Jun 2009 08:43
-
8 out of 8 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Hop aboard the rollercoaster of life
The latest film from the makers of Superbad-but don’t let that put you off. Written and directed by Greg Mottola; Adventureland is based on his own experiences of growing up and working in an amusement park one summer. Like a good few other films released this year, Adventureland is a nostalgic 1980s set movie that harks back to the golden age of mix tapes, VHS, Atari arcade games, and a world without mobile phones, text messages and e-mails. In making a period piece, Mottola creates a profound yearning for a simpler past without all the distractions of the modern world. All the technology is stripped down and so too are his trademark crudeness and misogynistic teen gross out stuff. Instead he has created a very funny and touching coming-of-age comedy-drama that is way ahead of everything he has previously made. He really shows the awkwardness and anguish of being a young adult and trying to find your way in the world, both with relationships and your career. The film also contains an excellent performance from Kristen Stewart as a fellow social misfit and Adventureland employee, but above all, Mottola has created something very few coming-of-age films contain; a film full of heart with great sincerity.
-
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
[Highly rated reviewer]
Very cheesey!
Went and saw this today in the cinema as a special preview before it was released, i was so exctied about seeing it and could not wait!
But i was extremely dissapointed!
With such a strong cast i thought this film would be excellent, the teen movie of the year! But it wasn't. THere were so many cheesey moments and they could have done a LOT more with the story line and made it alot more funnier.
Only see this if you get amused VERY easily. Wouldn't recommed it. -
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Adventureland
not so good. i admit some of the actors were pretty good, minus kristen stuart, she doesn't really talk OUT. parts were really cheesy and stupid where it could have been way better. wouldn't recommend it.
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a real gem
This film captures the awkwardness of being a young adult with stunning sensitivity and humour, The acting is superb and all of the characters are authentic and individual, theres none of the obvious sterotypes you usually get with these types of movies. Its a warming coming of age story, watch it!
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Read an exclusive interview with the director One of comedy mogul Judd Apatows most creditable achievements has been... read more on Time Out