Adventureland Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
It was the worst job they ever imagined... and the best time of their lives.
Nothing brings people together like a crappy summer job.
In 1987, James Brennan's dreams of a summer European tour before studying at an Ivy League school in New York City are ruined after his parents have a severe career setback. As a result, James must get a summer job to cover his upcoming expenses at the decrepit local amusement park, Adventureland, where he falls in love with a witty co-worker, Emily Lewin. In that bizarrely shady workplace, the young carnies have unforgettable and painful learning experiences about life, love and trust while James discovers what he truly values.
| Jesse Eisenberg | James Brennan |
| Kelsey Ford | Arlene |
| Michael Zegen | Eric |
| Ryan McFarland | Brad |
| Jack Gilpin | Mr. Brennan |
| Wendie Malick | Mrs. Brennan |
| Matt Bush | Tommy Frigo |
| Todd Cioppa | Velvet Touch Manager |
| Stephen Mast | Rich |
| Kristen Wiig | Paulette |
| Bill Hader | Bobby |
| Martin Starr | Joel |
| Adam Kroloff | Adult Contestant |
| Kristen Stewart | Em Lewin |
| Kevin Breznahan | Molly Hatchet T-Shirt Guy |
| Greg Mottola |
7.80 out of 10 (6108 votes)
Visitor Reviews
forgetful
posted on 31 Aug 2009 As a kid of the 80's, I was looking forward to a fun movie set in 1987. I had thought it was suppose to be a coming of age type thing, but when watching the preview beforehand, it said it was from the producers of "Super Bad" which, I didn't hate, but it's not really my type of humor either. But my boyfriend loves Superbad, so he sat down to watch it. He actually got bored and got up and walked away after 40 minutes or so.
So, really? this is suppose to be funny? I got a few giggles out of it, but not comedy laughter. It certainly wasn't comedy or drama, just an inbetweener. We(my boyfriend, friend and myself) all thought it was slow and just ok. Nothing entirely awful, the acting was fine, the story was fine. It was seriously lacking in character development. Ryan Reynolds' character was so one dimensional, it was painful. As a whole, the movie was uneventful and forgetful. The most exciting thing I found was the music and costuming. It was fun to see stuff we used to think was "in fashion" and now you realize how ridiculous it is.
Loved it!
posted on 31 Aug 2009I took my niece to see this film and we thought it was a nice surprise from all of the smutty comedies out there, it actually had a good story line and I thought the theme park characters were dead on, Kristen Stewart did a wonderful job and it had a happy ending. I didn't come out of the movie theater feeling imbarassed to have to explain the dialogue which in some comedies is mortifying!
Adventureland
posted on 31 Aug 2009It is 1987, and James Brennan (Eisenberg) is a college graduate looking to get away to Europe for the summer before heading on to graduate school. Things fall through not only for the summer plans, but for graduate school as well. James gets a job at Adventureland, making minimum wage and running a game booth. While there, he meets a wide variety of people, and becomes particularly close to Em (Stewart). Their relationship is complicated, not the least of which is due to Em's relationship with handyman/rock star Mike Connell (Reynolds). As the end of summer draws near, they must decide the paths their lives will take, and no option is the easy choice.
"Adventureland" is a great movie. Evoking nostalgia for the 1980's, and providing great character development, "Adventureland" succeeds in almost every way. While funny, the movie is not a comedy, but rather the humor of everyday life. The actors all make their characters real in their own way. Acting-wise, the one minor quibble is that Eisenberg at times seems like he is channeling his inner Michael Cera. "Adventureland" left me with a warm, fuzzy feeling, and is definitely worth giving a shot. I highly recommend it.
GREAT, if it were actually made IN 1987 !
posted on 31 Aug 2009OK, so if this were 20 years ago, this would be a HUGE hit.
This film is totally in the spirit of "Fast Times at RIdgemont High", except, it is a bit late...
It was much cleaner than i expected, nothing like Superbad- i enjoyed the lack of obtuse profanity...
The story is basic, predictable and unresolved, but the acting is really good and totally identifiable...
overall, I enjoyed it, but would never sit through the whole thing again...
but the use of Kennywood was really great, because, after all, i'm from Pittsburgh and i'm partial.
also, they really had a handle on Pittsburgh, it was upheld really really well.
A Revelation of the Teen Film Genre
posted on 31 Aug 2009If you're expecting a Judd Apatow comedy or a raunchy teen sex romp with little-to-no sentimentality or meaning behind it, rethink your viewpoint on this film's marketing campaign.
What Adventureland is, in my opinion, is nothing less than maybe the Breakfast Club of today; no other teen film has had such an impact on me as the classic Jon Hughes film has, until I saw Adventureland.
You will definitely laugh, yes; but if you have the brains to do so, you'll have affection and empathy for these characters(not only the two leads; nearly every player here is important) and feel the touching coming-of-age romance between Jesse Eisenberg and Kirsten Stewart(who is millions of miles better here than in Twilight, giving a much more superb performance and playing a much more interesting character than bella swan ever was).
What am I doing? Trying to give this a calm and professional review? Let me just come out and say it: I LOVED THIS MOVIE!!!!! I can't think of a teen film this decade that can compare with this one. I saw it a second time 2 days after opening night, because I knew it deserved a second viewing, and I'm excited for my third, because I cannot stop thinking about this movie. It made me happy at the right times, sad at the right times, and as for Greg Mottola, this is a great improvement over Superbad(which I actually find to be very overrated). I thought that was okay, but this is a much more personal, and real project for him.
This is one of the best teen movies I've ever seen and without a doubt my favorite film of 2009 so far (yes it beats out Watchmen, much to my own surprise). I went in expecting to have the kind of good time that most Apatow-esque comedies give me(like the recent "I Love You, Man"), but I got much more than that.
(oh, and if you're into the kind of 80's music I am, you will love the references to Lou Reed, David Bowie, The Replacements, and Husker Du)
...I still don't think I did this film justice, nor do I think I ever will.
A Little Gem Buried by Bad Advertising
posted on 31 Aug 2009"Adventureland", the new film from writer-director Greg Mottola ("Superbad") is a pretty good film. A coming of age story set in the late 80s, Mottola weaves a realistic story about recent college grads who are trying to earn some money and have some fun over the summer. The film is surprisingly intimate, and reflective and I would have to guess it is based on Mottola's own experiences. But it isn't that funny and proves to be another example of a bad marketing campaign promising one thing when the film is made to deliver something else. This may eke out a few dollars for the studio, but it will probably back fire and cause the film to lose more prospective viewers than it might gain.
James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg, "Noah and the Whale") graduates from college and tries to eke out a couple of hundred additional dollars from his parents; they have already promised to pay for a graduation trip to Europe, before he goes to grad school, and he and his friend want to extend the trip a little, so he needs more money. But his parents (Wendy Malick, Jack Gilpin) have some bad news; Dad is being transferred and will make less money. They can't afford to send James to Europe and grad school is doubtful as well. James tries to find a job, any job, but can only get hired at Adventureland, a run down theme park run by Bobby (Bill Hader) and Paulette (Kristen Wiig, both of TV's "Saturday Night Live"). James is thrust into a job running Games, despite his desire to join the more interesting and cooler group of kids running the Rides. On his first day, he meets Em (Kristen Stewart, "Twilight") and he seems surprised that she is actually responding to his goofy flirtations and sensibility. And Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds), the head of maintenance, walks through the park with the approving eye of the girls and the awe of the boys.
Jesse Eisenberg is near perfect as James, the nervous kid who is getting closer to being on his own, making his own way through the world. He is still a kid, despite graduating from college, and is disappointed and shocked to learn he won't be able to join his best friend on their planned European tour. He is a smart kid, the type of kid who uses these smarts at inopportune times, inadvertently making others look stupid, which gets him into some trouble. He is also unsure of himself and seems to be shocked every time a girl even gives him the time of day. When he and Em start to hang out together, he is delighted but also more nervous because she really seems to like him.
Eisenberg has primarily played high school kids, so it is nice to see him playing a college graduate, however immature. It works to his favor that I kept thinking he was in high school, because James is not very mature despite his education. When Em invites him to a party, she coyly asks him if he wants to go swimming. She proceeds to strip and jumps in the pool. He is game and strips down to his underwear before jumping in. After a few minutes, she wants to get out and dry off. He has to wait a few minutes, before getting out of the pool. It is a nice, touching, very human moment.
Kristen Stewart is also very good as the unpredictable Em. Already very confused, she meets James and they become friends, flirting consistently. She really likes him and they go out on a date or two. But she has other influences in her life, influences that are hard to kick or hard to correct. Throughout, you can see little glimmers of hope in her eyes. Maybe my life can become less dramatic, less plagued by trouble. But one of these influences is very familiar, and easy, despite the consequences, so she keeps finding her way back to this.
And because these kids are young, and aren't paying rent or mortgages, if anything gets too heavy, they simply face the problem by announcing "I quit" and run off to be by themselves. When the problems follow them home, they realize the solution isn't that simple.
Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig provide some whacked out laughs as the couple who are "in charge" of the theme park. Bobby immediately runs to the rescue of any of his employees, fending off bullies with a baseball bat and a psycho attitude. Paulette stands on the sidelines, admiring Bobby when he is called into action to run one of the games, remembering back to why she fell in love with him in the first place. Despite their relative young age, you get the feeling they have been in this business for a long time and they have the answers to every situation.
Ryan Reynolds plays Mike, an older guy who performs maintenance throughout the park. As he struts through the grounds, everyone seems to regard him in awe. His age and his status as a struggling musician make him cool to both the boys and girls. The guys want to be him; the girls want to be with him.
There are a number of other memorable kids who work at the park and intersect with James and Em.
But "Adventureland" is not a comedy, not really. There are some funny moments, but these are more observational moments. And they are few and far between. It seems misleading to advertise the film as a comedy, but this genre is easier to sell and will probably generate more ticket sales. But as word spreads, how will people deal with the fact that the film is a drama? A good drama? It seems like this practice would alienate people. People looking for a comedy will probably be disappointed. People, who want to see a good drama, won't realize they have a potential film under their nose. It just seems like a lose-lose situation. Why Miramax? Why?
"Adventureland" may seem a bit like a retread, but it is actually fairly unique. Most coming of age stories deal with high schoolers, kids either in high school, soon to graduate or graduating. This film depicts kids who are a little older, college graduates, but they still don't have everything figured out. As we watch them deal with the problems they experience, we identify with them. Most of us didn't have everything figured out when we graduated college (and many still don't) so the story of these kids speaks to us in a way.
Written and directed by Greg Mottola, the film is based on his own experiences in the same situation. I am sure much of what happens to James probably happened to him, in some form. And because so much of the story comes from a personal place, all of the characters seem more real, more interesting. From the nervous energy surrounding James, to the laid back attitude we see in Em, to the cool vibe coming from Mike, we have seen these types of characters before, but Mottola gives each a new level of detail, bringing them more sharply into focus.
"Adventureland" is a good, interesting coming of age film. Check it out.
Miles Beyond The Typical Teen Comedy
posted on 31 Aug 2009James (Jesse Eisenberg) is a smart, sensitive kid just out of college. He needs to save money for grad school and finds himself working at a tawdry amusement park called Adventureland. His job is mindless and boring. But he soon ends up falling for his rebellious and angsty co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart). Em is still in mourning over the loss of her mother to cancer, a situation made worse by her selfish and superficial step-mother. James and Em begin to develop a close bond. But Em is unwilling to committ and James is afraid of rejection. So they struggle to find their way while dealing with the trials and tribulations of youth.
I've got to say I love, love, love this movie. I also grew up in the 80's and can relate on a very profound level to the awkward and confusing situations James has to deal with. I liked writer/director James Mottola's earlier work, "Superbad". But this is a very different and perhaps even better movie. It has a sweeter, more heartfelt tone, with humor that is more subtle but still had me laughing out loud. The acting by Jesse Eisneberg and Kristen Stewart is top notch. It also has a great soundtrack featuring bands like Husker Du and the Replacements. It has an eye for detail and nuance in it's portrait of coming of age in the 80's. But also has a timeless quality that people of all generations should be able to appreciate. This is my favorite film of 2009 so far. Don't miss it!
Stammering Dialogue
posted on 31 Aug 2009Will appeal more to adolescents and young adults than to viewers above age 40. The storyline was okay, but the acting itself was vapid and insipid with a stammering and halting speaking style that many critics adored but which I found annoying and distracting.
Despite its terrible advertising campaign, this is a genuinely great film!
posted on 31 Aug 2009I got to see this film at a sneak preview. I got free tickets at an 80's club I frequent. I only had a mild interest in seeing this film when I saw the trailers. In other words, this one was going to be one to wait for on dvd. Free is free, and I went with a tribe of folks on a Wednesday night.
To my surprise, this was a really sweet, funny, well-acted, and truly great film. Yes, this is a film, not some flash-in-the-pan, cash in on the youth market, gross out comedy. Sure, it has elements of that too, but they're more subdued and the humor is less broad and more sublte. It's basically about characters you already know or have met in your life. It takes place in the 80's and it's basica plot involves the horror any 20-something would face during a recession, getting a really crappy summer job!
The real revelation I found with this film came in the form of Kristen Stewart. She's the real deal. I had seen her in Twilight recently and found everything anyone did in that film to be hollow. Here, she really shows her acting chops playing a confused youth afraid of the unknown. Jesse Eisenberg is the main character in the film, and I expected nothing but greatness from him, I previously saw him in the brilliant The Squid and the Whale. He is a very talented young actor who I expect to see a lot more from in the future.
The film has all the details of a youth summer job that sucks pegged. Everything from the one hot-chick that everyone wants, the low-rent customers, the over-zealous and possibly dellusional bosses, and on-job romance. It's all done with genuine emotion and situations. Nothing feels contrived or forced. Characters make mistaks and things go wrong, but there are no moments of the characters becoming overwrought and giving prefunctory speeches regarding the film's main themes. This is really well written.
I must warn all the video game obsessed, vapid, youth drones about what they're getting with this film. It has real characters, and a believable situation. It's a hang-out picture. You just spend time getting to know a particular group of characters who share the same crappy theme park summer job. There is no contrived plot devices, like switched or confused identities, no one is masquarading as one of the opposite sex, no plot devices to keep a false narrative going, and no gags just stuck in the film like an overlong action sequence to get yucks. Yes, the kids get wasted and high, but it has more to do with them coping with their boredom, and it also helps lead to their bonding.
The film manages to be honestly touching as well, something I really didn't expect from this piece. It was made by the same director of Super Bad, a really brilliant and funny youth comedy, but it is nothing like it. It's not as great, but its not going for the same thing. The humor comes from character and honest situations and not from over-blown comic situations just set up for the yucks.
If this film would've been advertised differently, I would've paid to see it.
This movie sucked.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Growing up in the 1980's I thought this may be a fun flick to see as it was listed under 'comedy'.
The characters are surface deep and the acting was terrible. Stewart has limited facial expressions so you need to try to guess what she's feeling.
Touches on drug use, drinking, extra-marital sex and drunk driving - but with no 'lessons learned'.
Don't waste your time or money, it wasn't funny - it was pathetic.
Bittersweet coming-of-age in the 1980s -- one of 2009's best yet
posted on 31 Aug 2009Recommended for a great cast, unique setting & memorable characters, and a well-written script, this movie will particularly appeal to those who grew up during the 1980s. But "Adventureland" is still timeless enough to please a broader audience.
Mismarketed as a wild comedy follow-up to "Superbad", this small-scale mini-wonder is a perfect date film, but also a great ride through young adulthood.
The story is both poignant and comic, and the cast is uniformly excellent throughout. Special acting honors go to Kristen Stewart, whose understated and tender performance was exceptionally moving to me (although she may be obviously gay, her straight-girl role is believable, and although I'd never heard of her before, I will be exploring every other film she's in, simply on the basis of this role). I can't say enough about her performance here, and she's going to be a major actress in years to come.
Almost every note of the script rang true to me until the final ten minutes, which were a conventional happy Hollywood ending that probably wouldn't have happened in real-life. But I can't fault the coming-of-age story for needing such a denouement, even if it was largely wish-fulfillment. And so, for Greg Mottola's script & direction, and for Kristen Stewart, five stars. A keeper.
An honest movie about becoming an adult
posted on 31 Aug 2009This is a gut-wrenchingly honest movie about growing up in tough family circumstances. It's not a pretty place, but for the two lost souls tossed about in this storm, there is a ray of hope... It left me shaking, emotionally, in a way that movies rarely do. The moments of tenderness and comedy diffused the tension. I loved it.
4 1/2! Loved it but it isnt for everyone
posted on 31 Aug 2009"Adventureland" written and directed by Greg Mottola
1987, Pennsylvania; James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has just graduated college and is ready to embark on his long awaited European tour before going on to grad school in New York in the fall. Unfortunately James' father has been transferred into a much lower paying position which results in the summer trip being canceled and his ability to attend grad school is in question also. James hasn't reached the bottom yet however as he has to get a summer job and with his lack of experience the only thing currently available is a position as a game operator at the local amusement park Adventureland with his former best friend Frigo. The job is less than satisfactory but James does take interest in his co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart) so maybe the job won't be a complete waste of time...
Adventureland was a great movie but isn't going to be for everyone. Adventureland wasn't a basic Rom/Com as it didn't employ the typical over the top slapstick comedy and instead relied on a slightly smarter brand of humor combined with some crude humor.
The Good: Great performances from all the actors/actresses and the move was well cast. I thought Kristen Stewart's take on her character was great. The character is very flawed and Kristen nailed it. The same can be said for Jesse's portrayal of James. The time in which the story takes place was an interesting choice and worked well and also provided a great soundtrack. Loved the humor in this movie and that it didn't rely on trite slap stick or completely on crude humor.
The Bad: Nothing memorable.
Overall: If you are a fan of any of the actors / actresses or Rom Com in general than give Adventureland a try.
=]
posted on 31 Aug 2009a nice little slice of life movie. greg mottola tells his story like a cherished and vivid memory (which is what it actually is) and standout performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart make the film worth while. the laughs are human and honest and the drama is quietly affecting. its not perfect, but its a good coming of age story.
There's a lot to be said for nastalgia!
posted on 31 Aug 2009This was a really fun, heart warming movie with a little bit of tension, a little bit of comedy and a whole lot of honesty thrown in. I think you'd have to be the age the characters were in the movie during the mid to late 80's to fully appreciate the setting. It captured the era perfectly! (I swear I think I had the big, red, plastic heart earrings Lisa P wore!) The soundtrack was stellar. The acting for the most part was great. (I'm not a huge K Stewart fan!) Bill Hader, Martin Starr, Jesse Eisenberg and Margarita Levieva were all perfectly cast and had moments in the movie that made me cry I was reminising/laughing so hard. If you're looking for a great reminder of the age, a reminder of your life at that time or just a good movie in general, pick this one up! If you're looking for another Superbad... you might want to pass.
I know 1987, and this movie has nothing to do with 1987.
posted on 31 Aug 2009Beside the fact that I was terribly bored with the story, it was unbelievably inaccurate. The clothing, the hair, the fact that none of these 18 year olds had trouble getting booze or getting into clubs - it made me wonder if any of the filmmakers were alive in 1987. I remember a lot more hairspray and hot rollers, and fake IDs.
The only character that's sympathetic is the Russian lit major, and his one good chance at a conflict fizzles like a dud firecracker. The rest of the characters are boring and one dimensional. The so-called love story is clearly going to be a failure, regardless of how it turns out.
Don't bother with this one.
Dream Summer Turns Sour
posted on 31 Aug 2009"Adventureland" is the bittersweet story of James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg, "The Squid and the Whale") who, on graduating from college in 1987, looks forward to traveling through Europe that summer and attending Columbia University's grad school in the fall. These plans are dashed when his parents (Wendy Malick, Jack Gilpin) inform him that his father was recently demoted and they no longer can afford to pay for the European trip. In addition, to help pay for grad school, he'll have to get a summer job in his home town of Pittsburgh.
Rebuffed by several potential employers because of his lack of experience, James finally gets a job at a local amusement park, Adventureland, operated by Paulette and Bobby (Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader). Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds) is the park's maintenance man, a bit older than the college age employees, and rumored to have rubbed shoulders with show biz types.
Though marketed as a wild and freewheeling teen comedy, "Adventureland is actually a drama. Sure, it has its funny moments, some based on the antics of "Saturday Night Live" veterans Wiig and Hader, others based on romantic awkwardness and James' journey from child to young adult. Eisenberg has an endearing, puppy-dog screen persona that works perfectly here. We immediately sympathize with him when his plans are suddenly thrown into turmoil, and are impressed at his ability to accept a bad break and make the best of a tough situation.
Kristen Stewart ("Twilight") plays James' love interest and Martin Starr ("Knocked Up") is the wisecracking nerd. The soundtrack turns the clock back to 1980's Top 40, with music by The Cure, David Bowie, Crowded House, INXS, Lou Reed, and more.
Bonus extras include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, commentary by director Greg Mottola and Eisenberg, and a digital copy of the film. Exclusive on the Blu-ray release are "Welcome to Adventureland," a collection of the park's commercials, orientation training video, and drug policy; and a satirical behind-the-scenes featurette.
A Brilliant Film, See It!
posted on 31 Aug 2009WOW! I recently saw this movie on a hotel pay per view deal.
I was blown away. The trailer hinted that it might be a good film but this movie really delivers. it is somewhat like a new take on a John Hughes formula but with more believable less stereotyped and more complex character development. It is an amazing script that captures its time period perfectly.
Having once had the opportunity to have worked in the film industry, a film as great as this makes me sorry that I ever left it and is one of those films that if you are very lucky you have the opportunity to work on.
Greg Mottola's directing and writing is top notch. he does a amazing job with his actors and they all shine.
The cinematography is also amazing as is the edit. It feels like the director has actually caught all of those fleeting moments in life in your early 20's in the late 80's just as they happened and almost has a documentary look to it without being overt or overly stylish.
The edit is also amazing and the whole film comes off as very stylish but none of its artistic elements ever get in the way of the characters or the narrative.
This is the best movie of its type I have ever seen and is a must see.
Finally the soundtrack is epic with the best mix of songs from 80's era music in any film ever.
Greg Mottola is a genius and I would quit my career to work with him as an assistant.