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A different way of telling a story

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

'Adventureland (2009)' is a part of the low-fi indie movement that was originally refreshing but quickly became over-saturated, a slice-of-life drama that tries to reflect reality yet still retain a written narrative. As such, its initial stylings aren't anywhere near as charming as they are perhaps intended to be. The lead character is annoying due to Eisenberg's inherent motor-mouthed arrogance masquerading as shy quirkiness (essentially every role he has ever played) wearing thin faster than it's even presented, the period time-setting is only as relevant as the fact that no mobile phone is ever seen, and there are a number of conveniently unexplained coincidences that hinder the believability of some key developments. Still, the majority of the piece is entertaining and even somewhat endearing, capturing an aimlessness and nostalgia that's, at times, somewhat accurate. It's subtly funny on occasion, too, mostly thanks to Bill Hader who's improvisational moments really shine here. 6/10

Available on Blu-ray Disc (Region B)USA 2008 English (Colour); Comedy/Drama/Romance (Miramax/Sidney Kimmel/This is that); 107 minutes (15 certificate)Crew includes: Greg Mottola (Director/Screenwriter); Sidney Kimmel, Anne Carey, Ted Hope (Producers); William Horberg, Bruce Toll (Executive Producers); Terry Stacey (Cinematographer); Stephen Beatrice (Production Designer); Anne McCabe (Editor); Yo La Tengo (Composers)Cast includes: Jesse Eisenberg (James Brennan), Kristen Stewart (Em Lewin), Ryan Reynolds (Mike Connell), Martin Starr (Joel), Margarita Levieva (Lisa P.), Kristen Wiig (Paulette), Bill Hader (Bobby), Matt Bush (Tommy Frigo), Wendie Malick (Mrs Brennan), Jack Gilpin (Bill Brennan), Paige Howard (Sue O'Malley), Dan Bittner (Pete O'Malley), Josh Pais (Mr Lewin), Mary Birdsong (Francy Lewin), Barrett Hackney (Munch), Michael Zegan (Eric)"Nothing brings people together like a crappy summer job."When a recent college graduate's (Eisenberg) plans for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe are dashed, he is forced to get a summer job in a tacky, run-down amusement park, where he suffers numerous indignities, falls in love with a beautiful but troubled co-worker (Stewart), and has the worst/best time of his life.A gently amusing, genuinely touching, only occasionally gross-out coming-of-age comedy-drama, set in 1987 to an apt, song-based soundtrack (including the perfect, repetitious use of Falco's annoying but popular "Rock Me Amadeus").First of three films (so far) to pair Eisenberg with Stewart; SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE players Hader (frenetic) and Wiig (subdued) are priceless as the park's oddball owners.Blu-ray Extras: Commentary, Featurette, Deleted Scenes, Short Films. *** (6/10)

I knew the leading actor from The Social Network was in it, I knew about the setting, and I knew the critics give it a good rating, I was looking forward to whatever it had to offer, directed by Greg Mottola (Superbad, Paul). Basically set in 1987, at the beginning of summer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, young adult James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has graduated from Oberlin College with a comparative literature degree, but he inexperienced in many ways, including being a virgin. He has plans to spend the summer touring Europe with his best friend Eric (Michael Zegen), before heading to New York City to attend a journalism graduate school at Columbia University, but his parents, Mr. Brennan (Jack Gilpin) and Mrs. Brennan (Wendie Malick), announce they can no longer financially support him. James has no real skills, but he is forced to take the only job he can get, at a third rate amusement park called Adventureland, assistant manager Bobby (Bill Hader) assigns him to be one of many games operators, most of the games themselves are fixed. James's co- workers include the sarcastic Joel (Martin Starr); park manager and Bobby's wife Paulette (Kristen Wiig); the alluring Lisa P. (Margarita Levieva); and the park's maintenance man/technician and part-time musician Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds). James believes he has died and gone to hell, until an incident with a cheating, threatening customer brings along Emily "Em" Lewin (Twilight's Kristen Stewart), another games worker, who saves him, he is instantly attracted to her, and with no real experience with women, Mike takes him under his wing to give him advice. James and Em becomes good friends, slowly they embark on a relationship, and have their first kiss, but she wants to take things slowly, James is upset, and when Lisa P. asks him on a date, he eventually accepts, during it they kiss. After the date, James learns Em had called apologising for rejecting him, Joel is irritated about James being with Lisa P., James unsuccessfully tries to convince him to stop quitting, James is honest with Em about going out with Lisa P., hearing this she ends her affair with Connell. James goes to Connell's mother's house, where he apparently takes girls for sex, he is upset to see Em walk out, James spreads the word around, Em quits in anger and moves to New York, James is heartbroken, gets drunk and drives his father's car into a tree, the following morning his mother tells him he must pay for the damage with his summer earnings. James no longer has enough to attend graduate school like he wanted, but with his parents' blessing he heads to New York anyway, meeting Em at her apartment she is reluctant to talk to him, but she is touched by what he tells her, he reveals he will wait for next year to go to Columbia, and they embrace, removing their clothes, implying they will have sex. Also starring Josh Pais as Mr. Lewin, Mary Birdsong as Francy and Paige Howard as Sue O'Malley. Eisenberg is great as the vulnerable, nerdy every man, and Stewart is good as his smart but melancholy love interest, this is not the typical teen movie, most are filled with gross-out jokes and outrageous behaviour, but this one is a more heartfelt, focusing simply on the relationships between characters, and leaving room for 1980s nostalgia, a simple but most effective coming-of-age comedy drama. Very good!

This has to be one of the most horrific excuses for a movie I ever had the misfortune to sit through. It had no plot, no real comedy, in fact its bleak messages were simply depressing. Everyone was just lighting up a joint the whole way through and thinking about getting laid. Kristen Stewart did little except woodenly sigh, and brush her hair away from her face which wore a perpetual glazed expression. I don't think I have seen a worse movie in my life, if I were to be candid. I don't know why Hollywood insists that to be "truthful and tender" they have to drudge up nihilistic characters who don't aspire to anything, don't believe in anything, and do nothing of any value. If this was an action movie, it had no action, if it was a comedy, I think I laughed once. If it was a theme movie, I don't think it had anything cohesive enough to even call a theme. It was just trucked out two hours of meaningless drivel. Oh my, WORST MOVIE EVER.Summary: don't waste your time. Don't even consider it.