In the summer of 1987, gaudy color coordination and knee-high socks were in, but it was also apparently a time of cool band T-shirts. Aside from that, the feelings and the people growing up in that tacky cultural backdrop are easily recognizable today.
Writer-director Greg Mottola broke off a piece from his post-adolescent experience to make Adventureland, a genuine, perceptive comedy-drama about the initially daunting absence of direction in one's post-college life. The film was shot on location at Pittsburgh's Kennywood Amusement Park.
James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college graduate comparative literature major, begins to map out dream plans of traveling Europe and moving to New York City as a writer. When his father loses a high paying position and his parents can't support his expenses, he goes for a summer job at the local amusement park. He is hired as a carnie in charge of games and soon falls for his arcade co-worker Emily (Kristen Stewart).
Awkward missed opportunities for James and Emily's hook-up are abundant, making it more realistic while building anticipation for James to eventually get it right. Although James' intellectual, neurotic behavior could have isolated him from several of his dimwitted co-workers, he becomes popular right away, breaking the ice with his bag of joints.
Eisenberg, decidedly serving as a muse for filmmakers channeling their awkward young adult years, is no stranger to 1980s coming-of-age stories. He played the lead in Noah Baumbach's magnificent semi-autobiographical The Squid and the Whale. If only Eisenberg could halt the burden of aging -- he'd never stop getting work reenacting a synecdoche of a director's life.
The strong comedic cast is well-suited to their roles. Martin Starr, for one, shines in his stock supporting role as Joel, a cynical pipe-smoking Russian literature nerd.
Ryan Reynolds plays Connell, the womanizing, guitar-playing maintenance man who is a bit older than the college-age staff and claims he once jammed with Lou Reed. Connell, unfortunately, is underdeveloped, and Reynolds, ambivalent about how to play the role's psychological intricacies and offbeat traits, ends up miscast.
Because Mottola's directing is not particularly distinct, it is evident that he is a writer first, director second. It's no mystery why Mottola signed on to helm Superbad, the sharp, personal dialogue, wacky but believable characters and organic story progression.
Adventureland balances laughs and drama without boring the audience with clichés or relying on excess crudeness. It's acceptable if the film follows a fairly predictable rhythm in its third act because the pain and satisfaction of the events both naturally click.
The film also doubles as a shrine to Lou Reed. Whether his voice is heard on the soundtrack, his name thrown into dialogue or his face plastered on bedroom posters and T-shirts, he makes his way into nearly every scene. Yo La Tengo's barely distinguishable score takes a backseat to mellow, despondent music impervious to time (excluding '80s gem, "Rock Me Amadeus").
Despite the authenticity of the decade-appropriate styles and trends, Adventureland transcends time. It can be viewed as nostalgic for those who lived it but also relatable for those going through it.
Adventureland, a thoughtful rumination on post-college confusion, is an inspired, gratifying ride that speaks some truth.
Grade: B+
