Adventureland proves somewhat of a departure for Greg Mottola following the success of Superbad (2007), dropping the bawdy humour associated with most of the output from Judd Apatow's comedy stable, instead focusing on a sweet coming-of-age tale.
Set in 1987, Adventureland centres around James Brennan, played by Jesse Eisenberg. Brennan returns from college, ready for a summer in Europe before taking up a place at Columbia University. His plans are thrown in to disarray when his parents reveal that this father has been demoted and consequently they cannot afford to cover any of his costs. Forced into getting a summer job, Brennan finds that his studies prove inadequate qualifications and is left with only the local amusement park for employment.
Left to oversee the corrupt and tacky games stalls, Brennan finds popularity initially through his stash of weed, which leads him into contact with Em (Kristin Stewart). Quickly Brennan falls for her, and Adventureland revolves around a surprisingly grown-up romance between the two.
Lou Reed
Although set in the 1980s, Adventureland rarely falls into the big-haired, garish extremes of the time with its visuals and costume design. The film contains a few references to the established iconography and cultural touchstones of the period, mostly in the dress and musical taste of Lisa P, Adventureland's resident hot girl and massively-permed ride attendant.
Despite some 80s music creeping through in the background, the late 60s and early 70s work of Lou Reed and Velvet Underground prove the key narrative choices. 'Pale Blue Eyes' appears twice in the film, firstly as part of a mix tape Brennan makes for Em, and secondly in a more emotive example towards the close of the film as Brennan drives alone and despairing.
Connell (Ryan Reynolds), the repairman idolised by the younger males in the park, builds his fame on a supposed jam session with Lou Reed, and Em's room and one of her T-shirts sport the iconic cover to Reed's 1972 album Transformer. By not relying on 80s shorthand, Adventureland leaves itself room to concentrate on its characters.
Kristin Stewart
Eisenberg's Brennan is, by Mottola's admission, a reflection of the director in his early twenties, and due to Mottola's intimacy with the character and Eisenberg's warm and awkward performance, James proves a sympathetic lead.
Opposite Eisenberg is Kristen Stewart, in a role filmed before the now mega-successful Twilight. Stewart's Em is a complex character, troubled by a complicated home life, and an affair with Connell which predominantly produces self-loathing within her. Stewart effectively portrays the conflict within Em, on the one hand wanting the purity of Brennan, but her self-destructive tendencies leading her to Connell.
Reynolds treads the line between charm and borderline despair well, creating the dual image of Connell as idol and pitiful, immature, ageing man. Bill Hader as manager Bobby and Marin Starr as uber-awkward Joel provide the bulk of the comedic successes, Hader producing an over-the-top, energetic performance and Starr excelling as the geeky confidante of Brennan.
Greg Mottola
Adventureland, unlike its contemporary (500) Days Of Summer, sticks within the accepted conventions of the romantic comedy genre, although it does add some increasingly serious plot threads as Brennan and Em grow closer and the destructive presences of Connell and the park femme fatale Lisa P begin to impact on their relationship.
Mottola helms the film well however, and his visible attachment to the material imbues Adventureland with a warmth and reality which is only slightly damaged by the genre-pleasing finale. The uniformly engaging cast (particularly Stewart) lift the film above the usual rom-com fair, and mark Mottola as a director of more substance than Superbad suggested.
 |
