Movies I Missed: Adventureland
Sometimes movies of note sneak past my field of vision. In an effort to correct these oversights, I’m combing through the list of flicks I missed in the last couple years to see what all the buzz was about.
How the hell did Adventureland slip past me? I’m a big fan of Jesse Eisenberg. Kristin Stewart has always intrigued me. Writer/director Greg Mottola’s previous film was the fantastic Superbad. The flick is set during the ’80s, my absolute favorite decade. And yet I didn’t get around to watching it until last weekend. Inexcusable. At least it was worth the wait.
Eisenberg plays James, a recent college graduate who reluctantly takes a summer job at the local amusement park in order to save money to attend grad school in New York City. Soon after, he begins dating co-worker Em Lewin (Stewart), a reserved girl with a troubled home life. As the two grow closer, Em struggles with her feelings, which are clouded by a secret affair with an older, married man. Meanwhile, a desperate to lose his virginity James questions whether he’s ready for a committed relationship.
Mottola deftly blends comedy and drama throughout a script that avoids a heavy-handed approach to romance. Too often in movies like these we are blasted in the face with unrealistic emotions and contrived situations. Luckily, there’s none of that present in Adventureland. Instead, we get make-out sessions on a couch and in the back of a car, which is what you do when you’re 21 years old and living with your parents. Subtlety goes a long way when trying to capture the rocky road that is young love. Mottola obviously agrees.
Eisenberg has done the nerdy guy with little experience with girls role before, but he continues to grow as an actor. He plays James as an honest, funny guy with natural charm, not a bumbling social outcast. Therefore is doesn’t seem at all implausible when he gets Stewart’s cool, unattainable chick character to fall for him. Speaking of Stewart, she keeps her customary brooding in check and the results are satisfying; not once did I yell at my TV screen for her to stop bitching about her sh*tty life, which is a first for me. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Ryan Reynolds, who portrays one of the more likable douchebags I’ve seen in years. It’s easier to feel sorry for him than it is to condemn him for his philandering ways.
Movies like Adventureland can come across as boring and trite. Retelling what is essentially The Graduate and trying to make it interesting can be a difficult task. Mottola and his talented cast should be commended for executing an enjoyable story worthy of multiple viewings. Even the cliched ending wasn’t enough to damage my overall impression. If I had a lighter, I’d wave it in the air.
