First, let's start off with the idea of expectations. I always feel it's fair to explain the variables involved before surmising a critique, positive or negative. Adventureland is a product of many promises made by past experiences of mine, something which can be said of almost anything, but the reason I bring this up is because they stir a wide range of emotions. Let's start with the first thing that pops into my head, before, and after, having seen the film, when I think of the film: Kristen Stewart.
I saw Twilight, like so many would have liked me to, with a friend who subsequently apologized about subjecting me to such a disaster. I didn't mind the story, it was on par with the Harry Potter series in its escapist, creative, albeit juvenile, appeal, in the way that I wanted to know what happened to the characters, even if I would never want to subject myself to seeing a grown man sparkle in the woods ever again. The most forgettable thing about such a horrible movie was the lead actress, in appeal, in talent, in making me feel sympathetic for a teenager in such a compelling situation. I guess I had seen her before. Someone would remind me of the girl in Panic Room, a film I loved, but now a brunette, and a leading actress. Okay, I bite. But, it wasn't until I saw the trailer for Adventureland that I found myself completely drawn to this woman. Maybe it was the way she was presented to me, girl-next-door, with a sexual undertone, exhibited only in private quarters, romantic, and understated... I don't know, these are the things I got from the trailer, but I was sold. I was going to see this movie, solely for this woman, and this woman alone. I'll get back to this later.
Jessie Eisenberg? "I loved Squid and the Whale" a co-worker blurted at me at the mere mention of this film, and the only reaction I could conjure was "Oh, that's where he's from." when I really wanted to say "Ugh." I will not be quick to dismiss the good qualities of TSATW but I will hastily say, for the sake of time, that I thought it was entirely over rated, but not bad. But, I didn't realize the charm of this movie was found in the leading role, it was almost jarring, but then I saw Kristen Stewart on the poster and forgot all about it.
Next there's Bill Hader, and Kristin Wiig. Up and coming character actors of SNL fame. They stole the shows in their small parts in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and Knocked Up, and put them together as a wacky couple! Sold!
Next, it's made by Greg Mattola, the creative force behind one of my favorite comedies in the last few years (Superbad.) Throw in Ryan Reynolds, someone who I've always found underestimated, and constantly charming. I even sat through the movie 'Just Friends,' at the behest of my girlfriend-at-the-time, just to see Ryan Reynolds in a fat suit get the girl. Like anyone would ever believe such a preposterous notion... Finally, Martin Starr, Freaks and Geeks. Enough said.
So, what's this movie about?
I don't know.
I mean this on a deeper level than boy-gets-shitty-job, boy-falls-love, back-and-forth, boy-gets-girl. I really tried to get a grasp on, you know, the why it was necessary to tell this story? I've had some time to mull it over, and unfortunately I have nothing to provide, more than, it was possibly a script that Greg Matolla's has been holding onto since he was a college graduate, and his way of coping with being a nice guy in a world where the bad guys always get the girl.
I've written that story too, in my head, and on paper, when I was 17. It had a similar outcome, of course: The good guy eventually gets the girl, after the girl realizes she should've just opened her eyes a little wider, to see eternal happiness exists in the form of the guy (me, or jessie eisenberg) who would do anything for her (kristen steward, or... every girl i met from the age of 16-21) It's not a bad story to tell, but was it worth the expense of such a great cast? I ask this because it's not even me being a cynic about the fleeting emotions of such a dynamic, because these characters are supposed to be college graduates, but i'll let that slide, but because there was little to no consequence to any of the principle cast members. Considering the timely predicament of telling the story 'Love in the time of Recession' everyone's greatest hopes and dreams (losing their virginity, acceptance, happiness, succeeding) are given to us at face value as if these themes are so transient that the mere mention of them is enough to make the audience empathize.
So there's a kid who can't go to his Ivy League school because his parents hit an unfortunate snag financially, so he get a shitty job, which isn't really that shitty, you're just told it's really shitty... even though he immediately gets along with everyone, and has fun every day that he's there. Then there's girl who is already going to an Ivy league school, who's just home for the summer. Her dad has since moved on after losing his wife, her mother, and she's mopey about it. She gets a shitty job even though her family hasn't been effected by the economy and starts sleeping with a married man. The married man is nice enough to her, and she meets a kid who absolutely adores her, but for some reason it's cause for some big moral conundrum. All of these things would be excusable if they didn't pull the punches on the really socially interesting problems they present... whether it's the lead character's, now, completely inexplicable, way of telling the same stories to different people, and where that gets him with each different character type. Or, his dad's drinking problem, or that grim look on Martin Starr's face every time Jessie says he loves Kristen Stewart or the popular girl's desire to be with someone nice for a change, or the married man's on going lie... these all seem to be common threads to a story of the things we tell ourselves and how they reflect what we tell everyone else, but for some reason they never quite come to a head. Everyone stays the same, even the principle characters. No one changes in this movie. They all go through something that could potentially make their lives, or at least they way they project themselves to the outside world different, but instead they all go about their lives, except they decide to hook up with different people... like I said, the moral of the story I wrote when I was 17. The idea that all it takes for a person to get over their insecurities and change for the better is having the love of different person in their life doesn't even translate that confidently, it dissolves in a scene when Jessie and Kristen meet in NYC at the end and she says more-or-less "sorry i didn't tell you I was screwing a married man, and didn't let you love me" and he says "it's okay, I can love you now, because even though you liked me and screwed a married man, you're still a good person, and that's good enough for me," which is fine, totally fine, but what did they learn? I didn't learn anything, that's for sure, and she learned she should probably be with someone who likes her (duh!) and he learned... nothing, he was just persistent and finally got a girl to like him, that's all.
Ugh. That said, it was still enjoyable. I think I am absolutely in love with Kristen Stewart, only because it reminds me of every girl I ever fell in love with when I was younger. I doubt she's like that in real life, but if she wasn't acting, or as bad an actress as she was in twilight, then I might just have my first celebrity crush in over five years (move over michelle branch) I was just disappointed by the promise this story had with all it's interesting characters, and actors. If you noticed I didn't mention Hader or Wiig, because... they are completely useless characters. It's not that much to ask for that if you are going to set up something pay it off. Don't do things inexplicably, just teach us something about love, or life, or at least present an interesting philosophy on youth, or understanding, or the recession, or passion, or something! Of course they are going to get together! At least make it an interesting ride to get there.
