Tiny mid-west town + young and quirky/socially inept protagonist + series of equally quirky/inept background characters = indie comedy.
Adventureland is no different from the other cloned-ly unique movies.
Young James is fresh from the college world, and during the summer of 1987, the only job he can swing is working at Adventureland, the local amusement park. Despite his awkwardness he manages to hookup with Emily, the marginally hot girl who also works there. Together, they weather the trials and tribulations of their relationship with help from the endless supply of neurotic characters.
James is played by Jesse Eisenberg, and as per usual, he plays his awkward, shy, dorky character to a freaking T. While this is a good thing for an otherwise unimpressive movie, but it makes me worry for his career. Type-casting is a dangerous thing, and before you know it, Jesse will be trying to re-invent himself like Michael Cera. He is the slightly yellow banana in an otherwise green movie.
WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL KRISTEN STEWART THAT SHE CAN'T ACT? Seriously, you could have replaced her with a talking slab of wood and the role of the love interest would have been more convincing -- actually, it would have been pretty fantastic because, you know, a talking slab of wood is an impressive thing to see.
I thought Ryan Reynolds would be the saving grace of the movie, that he would play a snarky, witty and vulgar park repairman, but instead he played a creepy, lying dirt bag. Normally I'd consider his presence to be a boon for any movie, but I think he may have been a hindrance here.
There are a few bright spots. Martin Starr does a convincing job as James depressive friend and Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig (of SNL fame) provide some of the movies genuinely funny moments as the parks quiet but weird managers.
The movie does, at times, capture the perfect beauty of the timid romantic interactions.
It isn't that the movie is bad, it's just bland, it's mouthwash, it's the newspaper, it's going to bed at 9:30. It isn't funny enough to be a comedy, nor is it dramatic enough to be a drama, it just listlessly weaves between the two like a drunk driver on an empty two lane road.
I give it 2.5. stars and a deep, melancholic sigh.
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