Adventureland (2009)

With the winter months quickly approaching, it’s nice to sit back and reminisce on those summer days that have faded to distant memories. Adventureland, a new teenage film from the director of Superbad, is the perfect movie to remind us that warm weather, vacations, and carnivals are only seven months away!

At his celebration dinner, recent 1987 college grad James Brennan receives two blows from his parents: due to his father’s demotion, James must cancel his European summer vacation AND pay his way through graduate school at Columbia University. In desperate need of cash, James is forced to find a summer job. Having no previous job experience, the only place that will hire him is the tacky theme park, Adventureland. There, he befriends an array of coworkers, and falls in love with the complicated Em Lewin, who is struggling with family and emotional problems of her own.

While Adventureland was marketed as humorous, this is definitely not a light film, and much more characteristic of a dark romantic comedy. The characters are complex, and in the midst of dealing with their emergence into adulthood, experiment with drugs, sex, and alcohol. Outstanding performances are given by Jesse Eisenberg (James), Kristen Stewart (Em), and Ryan Reynolds, among others.

Interestingly, the film is set to an 80’s soundtrack, and reminded me a great deal of the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. Jesse Eisenberg also oddly resembles Michael Cera, in both his behavior and looks. Eisenberg’s portrayal of James is also similar to the geeky-awkward characters Michael Cera characteristically plays.

Although I enjoyed the first half of the movie, especially the setting of the corrupt amusement park, the second half seemed to fizzle out. Overall, the film resembles a bit of a cliched "coming-of-age" story. Yet, it's worth seeing if you enjoyed films such as Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and Juno.

-Lindsay