ADVENTURELAND

DISNEY

RELEASED 11 September 2009

Director Greg Mottola’s last movie was ‘Superbad’, one of the best comedies of the noughties. For his next movie, he’s gone for a gentler, more autobiographical tone in this sweet coming-of-age comedy.

James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) wants to go to Europe with his friend, but his parents can’t afford to give him the money. So James gets a summer job at the local amusement park (Adventureland) to fund his move to New York when he returns. You either wear a ‘Games’ T-shirt or a ‘Rides’ T-shirt at Adventureland. ‘Rides’ seems to be for the cool kids, whereas ‘Games’ seems to attract the insecure and geeky crowd. Most of the staff are happy to drink and smoke a little after work as the days count down until they head off to new lives, and James hits it off with Emily (Kristen Stewart), who is taken with James’ intelligent and warm character, hiding her illicit affair with the (married) park maintenance man (Ryan Reynolds) from him, as well as her screwed-up home-life.

‘Adventureland’ isn’t a riotous laugh-fest like ‘Superbad’ was, but then it never tries to be. Set in 1987, it’s a story that brilliantly captures that awkward period between being a school kid and making it to adulthood. Jesse Eisenberg is great as the gangly, romance-novice. There are moments where you just want to pull him to one side and give him some good advice. Kristen Stewart’s Emily is a pretty sad character, and Stewart imbues her with a sexy, fatalistic power that makes her instantly attractive.

The rest of the cast sees great work from Ron Howards’ less-famous daughter Paige, Martin Starr as the bespectacled oddball Joel, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the park’s slightly deranged but loving management couple, and Margarita Levieva as the dangerous sexbomb ‘Lisa P’. I loved the annoying ‘Frigo’ (Matt Bush) who can’t help punching James in the nuts every time he sees him, and Ryan Reynolds has the challenging role of being a male stud (not too challenging when you’re Mr Scarlett Johannson).

‘Adventureland’ also features a cracking 80’s soundtrack, and if anyone’s ever worked a dead-end job where they play the same song over and over, then Falco’s ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ will bring back those memories! David Bowie, Lou Reed, and INXS add some class.

‘Adventureland’ is a lovely film that will bring those hormonal teenage feelings flooding back!

FOUR OUT OF FIVE