In “Adventureland,” James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has recently graduated from Oberlin College. Having planned a summer excursion to Europe at the cost of his parents, James is dismayed to discover his father has been demoted, thus disabling his parents from funding his graduation present.
If James is going to be able to attend graduate school, he will need to secure himself a summer job. Asking at different locations around town, James finds his lack of professional work experience is a handicap.
He eventually finds employment at the last place he would have thought: an Adventureland theme park.
Run by the eccentric Bobby (Bill Hader) and his timid wife Paulette (Kristen Wiig), the run-down park still seems like even more of a setback than an answer to prayer.
But as James begins to make friends with the colorful characters who work at the park, what began as the worst summer yet may actually turn out all right. James even finds a budding romance with Em (Kristen Stewart).
But as the summer wears on for James, the history everyone at the park has with each other may be the cause of some less-than-pleasant encounters.
“Adventureland” advertises itself as a raunchy teen comedy similar to director Greg Mottola’s other infamous work, “Superbad.”
To be fair, the movie does feature a handful of somewhat raunchy moments, but “Adventureland” is ultimately as drama as it is comedy.
That is also not to say the movie is without its share of comedy. Eisenberg does a fantastic job in a role that reminds audiences of Michael Cera’s performance in “Superbad.”
It’s not hard to feel sorry for him as he learns the pitfalls of being too vulnerable at the start of a romantic relationship.
Hader’s portrayal of Bobby is arguably the best in the film. The “Saturday Night Live” cast member brilliantly balances a mix of quirky eccentricity with sturdy conscientiousness.
The only disappointment surrounding his character is a lack of screentime, which is limited to what viewers have seen in previews.
Aesthetically, it seems like Mottola was aiming to hit a slightly offbeat indie feel via 2007’s wildly successful but overrated “Juno.”
This awkward yet sentimental feel in films is becoming increasingly popular with the release of films like “Sunshine Cleaning” and the upcoming “Away We Go.”
Like “Juno,” “Adventureland” tries to split its time between heartwarming comedy and profound dramatic situations.
Here is where the film may polarize its response. While the film advertises itself as more of a teen-sex comedy, most of the jokes the film features are displayed in the film’s trailer.
That’s not to say “Adventureland” isn’t funny, but the moods explored come as more of a surprise at first given the expectations raised by the film’s advertising campaign.
For not being what it promises to be, “Adventureland” is still a pleasant surprise. The movie skirts the boundaries of melodrama with the kind of confidence that springs from a well-written script.
It also features an array of comedic moments that range from one-liners to bathroom humor.
It’s certainly no “Superbad,” but whether or not it’s “super-good” lies somewhere in the space between a heavy dose of heartfelt comedy and honest drama.