Adventureland

Let's get the easy stuff out of the way first. No, Adventureland is not your typical teen, raunch-bloated comedy flick. At the core, Adventureland is a love story, and the quirky characters that make that world complete happen to be funny. At times. But mostly it is just the love story, and the turmoil that comes with such a story. There in lies the heart of the film, and audiences will connect with James and Em. Greg Mottola, the writer and director, might always be the Superbad guy to some, but Adventureland has the emotional center that really allows it to stand apart from the aforementioned Superbad. The real reason the film resonates so strongly, though, is Mottola's wonderful cast. Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Steward both deliver strong performances, and the supporting crew of Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, and Margarita Levieva all enhance the reality and charm of the Adventureland theme park. Like any good love story, I found myself connecting with the leads, understanding their positions and inability to love one another as they are, without complication. Unfortunately, that leads to the biggest downfall of Adventureland (and other romantic comedy-esque movies), which is the argument that leads to separation and the inevitable reunion at the end. I've never cared for that technique, and I believe there are other ways to show trouble brewing between two people without a relationship-crippling fight to ruin it. Regardless, I found myself in love with the characters, and wanted some more time with them. That is a great sign.

Genre - Comedy (3.5)

Screenplay (4)
Acting (4)
Production (2)
Directing (4)