Adventureland: Good Screenwriting that Shows off Nostalgia

Adventureland is an intelligent, relevant film about a college graduate named James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) whose dreams of a post-undergrad trip to Europe with his friends are dashed by a change in his family’s financial situation. To make matters worse, James finds out that if he even wants to think about attending Columbia, the graduate school to which he has been accepted, in the fall, he’ll need to take a summer job. The only place in town that will hire him is Adventureland, the local amusement park. There, he meets some old friends and makes a lot of new ones, including Em (Kristen Stewart), a girl with a lot going on in her life who seems to have a hard time making up her mind about James. The film also stars Ryan Reynolds as Connell, a fellow park employee who has affairs despite being married; Martin Starr as Joel, a sarcastic, nerdy staff member who quickly becomes one of James’s friends; and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the married couple who run the park. Wendie Malick has a small role as James’ mother. Greg Mottola, who directed the 2007 box-office hit Superbad, directs this loose adaptation from of his own youth.

This film is both smart and courageous: it takes on tough topics like divorce, remarriage, and job loss with a boldness that doesn’t miss. The honesty expressed in the movie about these types of situations is refreshing, and it’s a film that both teens and adults can easily relate to. Particularly in light of the recent economic downturn, the film is especially relatable on the subject of changing financial situations, despite the fact that it’s set in 1987. We all know a Lisa P., who returned to work to help out her family after her father lost his job, and a James, who must cancel a long-anticipated trip simply due to a lack of funds and who has to consider less expensive, local colleges instead of the ivy-league Columbia for the same reason. Adventureland even delves into how parents, who are providers for their families and who can have some qualms about showing their children that they’re having a hard time, cope with loss.

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There’s also a real easiness between the characters in the film that makes Adventureland enjoyable to watch. The characters interact naturally, and their relationships develop in realistic ways. People who find themselves having to do “the work of pathetic, lazy morons” (according to Joel) and who receive tiny paychecks for work that is innately unrewarding develop an instant camaraderie. One of the only ways to survive those kinds of jobs is to enjoy the company of the people you work with. And, to its credit, Adventureland ditches the usual Hollywood formula of romantic relationships in favor of the much more murky, random real world of dating in which we actually live. The ensemble performance by this cast is truly one of the film’s biggest attributes.

However, Adventureland would be far better were it not for the omnipresent undercurrent of depressed boredom that affects the entire film – and it’s not just because of the heavier subject material. Everyone in the film seems to be less than enthusiastic about their roles and somewhat subdued.

Overall, despite this flaw, Adventureland is still an insightful comedy-drama with heart, and is certainly worth seeing.

Trailer Credit

Photos: Miramax