Adventureland is a 2009 comedy romance about a college graduate who takes a job at his local amusement park, only to find it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.
Director Greg Mottola has exactly been prolific when it comes to making movies, but when he does, he does it right. His widely-acclaimed 2007 comedy Superbad is considered one of the best in the genre, mixing a bit of raucousness with genuine heart. He followed it up two years later with this offbeat romance starring Jesse Eisenberg as James, a college grad who thought he might have a chance to travel in Europe for the summer but gets bad news when his parents confess to so money issues, leaving him to get a part-time job at an amusement park. There, naturally, he has – as the title implies – many odd adventures, meeting and soon falling for Emily (Kristen Stewart). Mixing some wild humor with many touching moments, this unusual romance, set in 1987, is a rollercoaster ride but well worth taking with many good performances and plenty of laughs (thank you Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig). While it lacks the staying power and significance of Superbad, it’s nonetheless a terrific little story with a tremendously satisfying end.
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