Adventureland
Directed By: Greg Mottola
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart
A recent college grad takes a dead end job at an amusement park for the summer of 1987, where he makes friends, and finds love.
Plot:
Written By: Greg Mottola
Gonna start right off the bat and say this film isnât really breaking new ground, and follows standard rom-com format with a slightly more melancholy edge. You get the kinda dorky unlucky in love protagonist, the best friend who turns out to be kind of a dick, and the woman that changes everything. Not to mention the first meeting where they lock eyes from across the way, the fight 3/4ths into the film, and the makeup sex scene at the end. That being said, that doesnât make it bad. While the format and beats of the story are familiar and trite, the moment to moment feel of the film is actually quite enjoyable. It has a very relaxed air about it, and solid dialogue. But the real shining point of the film is the characters. They feel real, and their interactions with each other are genuine and human. No character is perfect, they are all highly flawed to be honest, but still likable. One character in particular reminded me of a few people I knew in high school. Overall, while the plot may be the same thing you have seen a million times, it still has heart, and is highly entertaining.
Cinematography:
Director of Photography: Terry Stacey
Edited by: Anne McCabe
The film is shot in a familiar indie rom-com style, just kind of natural feeling. Basically it does what it needs to without standing out. The color palette fits the melancholy feel of the film quite nicely as it is fairly muted. Overall it does its job well.
Characters/Acting:
The stars of the show are obviously Jesse Eisenbergâs James, and Kristen Stewartâs Em. The two have real chemistry together, which invests you in their relationship. James is a college graduate who plans on going to grad school in New York, he is what we in the business like to call adorkable. Slightly nerdy, and awkward, but genuinely sweet. He has an ability to say things that should sound extremely pretentious, but somehow comes off as earnest enthusiasm from him. Em meanwhile, is a student at a New York college currently stuck at this dead end job for the summer like James. She is a witty and fun person, dealing with a lot of shit in her life, she has a charm about her and to be honest she is the nicest person in the film. Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg are two of my favorite actors and this film only enforces that opinion.
The supporting cast is great as well, Bill Hader is hilarious as the manager of the theme park delivering probably my favorite scene of the film when he chases a man off, with a baseball bat. Ryan Reynolds plays a man cheating on his wife with Em, and as usual even when playing kind of a dickbag he still comes off as likable. Martin Starr plays Joel a pretentious awkward fellow who becomes good friends with James, he is the 2nd most likable character in the film. There are other performances from actors like Kristen Wiig, and Wendie Malick among others, but these were the ones that stood out to me.
Music:
By: Yo La Tengo
The soundtrack to the film is really solid, the theme park playing mainstream pop music (period appropriate of course) and outside of that using really solid melancholy tracks. The soundtrack does its job perfectly and sells the scenes.
Overall:
Plot format wise you have probably seen a million films like this, but I guarantee that at least half of those, did not have the heart this one has. By no means is it perfect, as the beat by beat format shows. But it is good, as it sucks you into the moments, and envelops you in its characters. These are flawed people, having fun, dealing with depression, and trying to build relationships. And honestly that is what draws me to film, the humanity of it. So yes, I really liked Adventureland and if you decide to watch it as I hope you do, I am sure you will enjoy your visit as well.
Verdict: 4 out of 5 Stars.
