Movie Review of Adventureland
Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart Star in Greg Mottola's Film
May 18, 2009
Director Greg Mottola’s Adventureland, set in the 1980s, is a story of a recent college graduate grappling with the awkward transition into adulthood and the real world. Mottola, who directed the 2007 hit comedy Superbad, delivers a more serious, yet just as good film with Adventureland.
Adventureland Plot Summary
After graduating college and finding out that his parents have no money to help him fund graduate school, James is forced to get a job at Adventureland, the local amusement park. James soon finds himself immersed in the bizarre culture of carnival misfits and falling in love with Em, an intriguing co-worker.
While a decent portion of the plot does focus on the antics at the park, including the workers’ partying, there is more to this story. James and Em are both conflicted in their family and romantic lives, and their struggles make for the plot’s main interest to the viewers, especially as their relationship with one another becomes more complicated.
Characters and Cast
Jesse Eisenberg’s portrayal of James is believable, but Kristen Stewart (of Twilight fame), steals the scenes she is in. Stewart plays Em, an interesting and well-developed character, and Stewart showcases her talent well in this role. Ryan Reynolds is also convincing in the supporting role of Mike Connell, the unhappily married and womanizing Adventureland mechanic.
A Movie about Growing Up
The movie centers around James’s identity search as he figures out what to do with his life. It is as much about James’s journey to adulthood as about Em’s; she has issues with trust, men, and her family to handle, which arguably trump James’s financial trouble.
The film does an excellent job of capturing that transition phase of life. There is an irony to working at an amusement park while making life-changing decisions; it seems impossible to grow up in that setting. That might be why the movie’s comedic yet romantic drama genre works so well. It can’t quite be a straightforward drama. It is still necessary to fit that comedy role. The genre supports the shifting into adulthood theme well.
Soundtrack
With eighties classics like Judas Priest’s “Breaking the Law,” Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again,” and “Don’t Dream it’s Over” by Crowded House, Adventureland’s soundtrack brings 1987 to life and sets the movie’s tone perfectly. There is one scene in particular, where James and Em ride bumper cars while The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” plays, that is a moment of completely letting go, having fun, and being happy that makes the viewer feel those emotions, too.
Overall, it is only fair to say that Adventureland will likely not please those expecting only a laugh-out-loud comedy of the Superbad variety. However, it makes up for the lack of gut-busting laughs with character development and story. It is definitely worth watching, especially for those who can identify with the difficulties of becoming a grown-up.
