Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig
Director: Greg Mottola (Superbad, The Daytrippers)
Running Time: 1 hr 46 min
Release Date: April 3, 2009
Budget: Est. $10 million
Critics’ Thumbs Up: 82 %
"A sweet, sharp coming-of-age romance…" Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
"…feels constructed from familiar parts." Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal
Without a job, geeky but sweet James (Eisenberg) drudges through the summer before grad school at the titular amusement park where he meets enigmatic Em (Stewart), thereby keeping the worn-out formula of nerdy nice guy who falls in love with the rebellious girl. Yet, instead of giving us another half-witted, raunchy teen comedy à la Superbad, Adventureland is smart, character-driven and realistic as James gets entangled in situations involving his future, relationships and sex. "Saturday Night Live’" Hader and Wiig bring some much-needed humor as the dorky managers who rig games and sell unrefrigerated corndogs, and the 1987 setting gives a nostalgic ambiance with fun songs and comical clothes.
Scheduled to be released on DVD August 25, 2009
