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Adventureland

Superbad was special because it was incredibly funny, and still managed to have some level of emotional resonance. Mottola, clearly in tune with the young adult psyche, showed notable growth with his Superbad follow-up, Adventureland. Taking on screenwriting duties in addition to his directorial efforts, Adventureland is very much Mottola’s brainchild.

Where Superbad followed two best friends as they prepare themselves for the separation that comes with moving away to college, Adventureland chooses to track a recent college grad who finds out that instead of taking a parents-subsidized trip to Europe with his college buddy, he’ll have to instead stay put in Pittsburgh and start earning money to put towards graduate school. With no prospects of a decent job and, as a true liberal-arts college graduate with little to zero discernable skills outside of an uncanny ability to reference obscure literature, James Brennan (played by Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to work at the local, low-class theme park.

Adventureland (the theme park, not the film) is a wonderful place populated with underachieving 20-somethings who operate rides that don’t work, manage games that are rigged, and serve food that is past due. There are also patrons who pick fights, a handyman with a habit of cheating on his wife (Ryan Reynolds in an understated role), and two park managers who make it all happen (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig in their usual scene-stealing mode). In a place where everyone is a little bit childish, James learns what it means to be grown up – he learns a lesson or two about responsibility, about real friendship, and about love. In a place where no one is going anywhere fast, James gets his first post-college slap in the face from the firm backhand of life.

Adventureland was especially relatable to me (I started my post-college career just a few days ago), but the film’s themes are universal no matter how old you are. And another thing - Adventureland is quite funny. It isn’t funny in the Superbad, in your face kind of way; rather, the film’s humor has more subtlety and restraint, and while there are still lowbrow moments, they never overshadow the story.

Adventureland’s main pre-release buzz surrounded the female lead opposite Jesse Eisenberg, played by Kristen Stewart. Adventureland was notable for being Stewarts follow up to the first Twilight film, and analysts were wondering if Bella Swan fans would turn up to make Adventureland a hit. With nearly universally positive reviews, a modest theater count of 1,862, and a pre-Proposal Ryan Reynolds as the only other draw, Stewart bore an undeserved amount of blame when the film failed to open. Collecting a small $5.7 million on opening weekend, and ending its ride with just $16 million domestically and a worldwide total of $17 million, Adventureland was vastly overlooked.

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