Adventureland: Review

Adventureland is director Greg Mottola's follow-up to Superbad, but even though there are very similar themes, there are two very different movies, and if you are expecting the same level of humour that Superbad had, you maybe a little disappointed.

Jesse Eisenberg plays James, a young man just graduating from high school and has his summer all mapped out until his parents announce that they cannot help him financially and so is forced to get a summer job at a small town amusement park called Adventureland. There he meets Em, a cool girl who he slowly builds a relationship with. Does she feel the same? Or is there something she isn't saying? Will he ever find true happiness and love.

This is a really nice film. What I mean by that is that it is a sweet, well played love story, but be warned, those who are looking for the vulgar craziness of Superbad, it's not here. This is a more human story, a coming-of-age tale that, while very good natured, is a little slow.

The characters are well drawn out and some interesting supporting roles. Bill Hader, who played one of the cops in Superbad, gets to steal the movie with some of the more comic moments, while Ryan Reynolds pops up as the park's hunk and electrician. This leaves Jess Eisenberg and Twilight's Kristen Stewart to take control of the main story.

Eisenberg, almost unknown over in the UK, does his best to be Michael Cena, and he is a very likeable guy, but he comes across as too straight, too dull, while Stewart, who has become an overnight success after the teen vampire movie, is perfectly cool as Em, and you do genuinely care what happens to them. It's just a shame that it takes forever to get to the ending. Mottola obviously loves his characters and wants his audience to love them too, but he has forgotten about plot and pace, which is a pity, and i feel guilty for saying it, as it is a nice movie.

It does, however, make a change to see a love story that isn't too mushy and doesn't expect you to cry every three minutes, or follow the rules of the rom-com. Just don't go in expecting the laugh-a-minute comedy fest that the advertising promises.