Spring Break
REVIEW: 'Adventureland' worth price of admission
4 out of 5 stars
Natalie Abreu
Issue date: 4/7/09 Section: Focus
College might be the best years of our lives, so what comes after it? The real world with its real jobs, and most of those jobs ain't so pretty on the outside. This certainly becomes the case for James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) who after a hell of a time at college in 1987 must face the real world and take on a job at the mundane theme park "Adventureland," where he meets some interesting characters.
The movie is a coming-of-age story of sorts, based on the idea that people often find themselves in the strangest places after college.
"Adventureland" is written and directed by Greg Mattola of "Superbad" fame, and injects this film with the same energy and excitement as his last.
The film itself is funny, intelligent and a bit sweet at times. The cast of the film also steps up its game here and includes a diverse array of comedic actors, such as "Saturday Night Live's" Bill Hader (who steals every scene he's in) and Kirsten Wiig as the married couple, and as one of the owners of the park. Martin Starr (from "Knocked Up") and more established film actors such as Ryan Reynolds as an overally cool maintenance man and Kirsten Stewart as Em, a brooding yet beautiful NYU student who seems to be as lost as James is.
The star of the film is Jesse Eisenberg, who has previously played the part of an aimless youth in another 1980s set film "The Squid and the Whale" plays James, a witty yet nervous young man, as if Woody Allen regressed to a 22-year-old self. But his endearing performance works on many levels, sure to make audiences laugh as well as tear up a little.
Though the film takes place in a specific time - of the summer of 1987 - in a specific place - the suburbs of Pittsburgh - it is certainly interesting to see the parallels between that time and place and our own lives. James sacrifices a summer of fun backpacking in Europe before heading to grad school at Columbia University in order to help support his family in the economic downturn. Sound familiar? This film might resemble a horror film for graduating college students who face the same predicament as James.
The style of the film doesn't scream the 1980s and isn't overly nostalgic, other than a few scenes of girls in Madonna gear and the film's soundtrack, that features such decade defining artists as The Cure, Poison and David Bowie. The film seems as if it could take place in 2009 as well, a great achievement on Mottola's part. It certainly makes a viewer think of how nostalgic they will be once the 2000s are just another decade of yesteryear.
Sentimental, witty and with just a dash of gross out comedy, "Adventureland" is certainly worth the price of admission, especially for college students looking for a dash of escapism that holds some realism in our contemporary culture.
The movie is a coming-of-age story of sorts, based on the idea that people often find themselves in the strangest places after college.
"Adventureland" is written and directed by Greg Mattola of "Superbad" fame, and injects this film with the same energy and excitement as his last.
The film itself is funny, intelligent and a bit sweet at times. The cast of the film also steps up its game here and includes a diverse array of comedic actors, such as "Saturday Night Live's" Bill Hader (who steals every scene he's in) and Kirsten Wiig as the married couple, and as one of the owners of the park. Martin Starr (from "Knocked Up") and more established film actors such as Ryan Reynolds as an overally cool maintenance man and Kirsten Stewart as Em, a brooding yet beautiful NYU student who seems to be as lost as James is.
The star of the film is Jesse Eisenberg, who has previously played the part of an aimless youth in another 1980s set film "The Squid and the Whale" plays James, a witty yet nervous young man, as if Woody Allen regressed to a 22-year-old self. But his endearing performance works on many levels, sure to make audiences laugh as well as tear up a little.
Though the film takes place in a specific time - of the summer of 1987 - in a specific place - the suburbs of Pittsburgh - it is certainly interesting to see the parallels between that time and place and our own lives. James sacrifices a summer of fun backpacking in Europe before heading to grad school at Columbia University in order to help support his family in the economic downturn. Sound familiar? This film might resemble a horror film for graduating college students who face the same predicament as James.
The style of the film doesn't scream the 1980s and isn't overly nostalgic, other than a few scenes of girls in Madonna gear and the film's soundtrack, that features such decade defining artists as The Cure, Poison and David Bowie. The film seems as if it could take place in 2009 as well, a great achievement on Mottola's part. It certainly makes a viewer think of how nostalgic they will be once the 2000s are just another decade of yesteryear.
Sentimental, witty and with just a dash of gross out comedy, "Adventureland" is certainly worth the price of admission, especially for college students looking for a dash of escapism that holds some realism in our contemporary culture.
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