We’ve all had horrible summer jobs. I’ve actually worked as a telemarketer with a group of my high school friends. The question is always, “ How can you stand it there?” The answer isn’t usually a positive one, but in reality it is the camaraderie, the crushes and aimless fun created in the meantime that allow our minds to show up every day. Summer jobs are a sort of limbo between the end of one part of life and the start of a new chapter. Adventureland creates this atmosphere with perfection and throws in a very touching coming of age love story as well.
In the summer of 1987, James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) is sideswiped by reality following his graduation from college when he is told that his parents can’t afford to pay for a trip to Europe as previously planned. Needing money to help his transition into graduate school, but having no real life experience to speak off, James take a summer job at the local amusement park working the game booths. There, he meets and falls for Em (Kristen Stewart) who is dealing with some issues of her own. Along for the ride is an excellent supporting cast anchored by Martin Starr as the super geek, and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the hilarious park managers. Hell, even Ryan Reynolds fits perfectly and does a great job of underplaying and not making his character stick out like a sore thumb (which as written, could have easily happened).
I really liked this film. For me, Adventureland will be another movie that, just as Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist did, fits perfectly into a specific place and time both on film and in viewer’s lives. Armed with a great soundtrack (I’m not cool enough to know all the bands from this soundtrack, but I know the music I heard was great) the film brings back a rush of personal memories and that ability to relate to it's audience is big part of it's success. The music links together memories from crappy summer jobs, high school or college loves and our own hilarious misadventures and allows us to relive them in between opening and closing credits along with a fictional group of friends.
This was a particularly difficult review to write not because the film was difficult, but because there really isn’t that much to analyze. It’s one of those really solid films that is a breeze to sit through, is crafted well behind the camera and in front and is a film that you just need to go see and experience rather than read about.
yeah, i really liked this movie. obviously. it's my favorite kind of movie.
ReplyDeletebut i think the most important message of this movie, is that James' life doesn't go the way he intended it to in a BIG way. he was all set to go to an ivy league school, and then has to work a crap-tastic summer job, but really, it's just a faster track to the real world. we're all glamoured by youth--thinking the world is our oyster--and then disillusioned by shitty jobs and the real world and not ending up being the people we imagined ourselves being. i think this goes double or triple for people that were making that transition in the 80s. and the message ends up, that even though it's not the dream, it can still be great.