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Kristen Stewart Vamp To Vampire*** A Superbad followup
by filmmaker Greg Motola that might be termed Superbored,
Adventureland is anything but, as depressed post-grad burb
youth do the dream deferred thing on the way to uncertain
adulthood. Based on the memories of Long Island homeboy
writer/director Motola and his summer drudge duty at that
Farmingdale amusement park, Adventureland relocates to Kennywood
Park in Pittsburgh. Ouch, a missed opportunity to capture
the distinct local flava of an LI lost and found coming
of age elegy in the late '80s, and settling instead for
strictly generic atmospheric vibes, say it ain't so, Greg.***
It's in the depths of that other recession during the
Reagan period, and James (Jesse Eisenberg), a nerdy college
grad who is looking forward to matriculating in the fall
at Columbia School Of Journalism, gets the bad news from
his parents that Dad, a closet alcoholic, has just been
downsized at work. Which means that James will have to round
up a summer job to pay his own tuition.***
The only work James can find much to his dismay, is
as a carnie at Adventureland, where the games tend to be
rigged in a predictable no-win situation. It's also the
sort of turf for tacky rides where word has it that you
could find a Reebok in the parking lot - with a foot still
in it.***
But his new friends are cool, both the temps and lifers,
and they help keep one another from succumbing to full blown
existential despair. James is at the same time hopelessly
smitten by fellow carnie and commitment challenged Em (Kristen
Stewart), a temperamental teen who's involved in an emotionally
self-destructive affair as strictly a side dish, with Mike
(Ryan Reynolds), the park's very married flirty handyman.
Adventureland presents fairly standard youthful romance,
but with an uncommon sensitivity, grit and all natural hip
humor that never feels contrived. Whether it's religious
differences that complicate relationships, too much booze
just to get by, fractured family life, or terror of an unseen
and uncertain future. Or, those nutty comical interludes
like sex in a seatbelt, the goofy, budget stressed park
owners (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiigand), and that mad crush
on the girl who introduced you to those incomparable 'psychotropic
chocolate chip cookies.'***
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