Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
04-04-09, 11:34 AM
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
i saw this. it was good, but i thought it could have been a lot better. it definitely wasn't a haha movie. very subtle and very sweet would be the best words to describe it. never really laughed out loud, never over-the-top or gratutious in anyway, merely smiled through a lot of moments.
i didn't really feel the chemistry between Stewart and Eisenberg. it just didn't seem like it was there or it was as heat-filled and throbbing as it was meant to be. i bought them as friends, but couldn't see them as lovers.
it seemed like it was trying to do a lot and never really fleshed out what i thought would have been good. the whole Joel being Jewish/Atheist seemed misplaced with what little they did with it.
i dunno. it wasn't a bad movie by any stretch, but don't go in thinking it is a laugh riot or breaks new ground in the coming of age teen angst/romance genre.
it was very subtle, seemed genuine and real, but still needed a little something more.
i didn't really feel the chemistry between Stewart and Eisenberg. it just didn't seem like it was there or it was as heat-filled and throbbing as it was meant to be. i bought them as friends, but couldn't see them as lovers.
it seemed like it was trying to do a lot and never really fleshed out what i thought would have been good. the whole Joel being Jewish/Atheist seemed misplaced with what little they did with it.
i dunno. it wasn't a bad movie by any stretch, but don't go in thinking it is a laugh riot or breaks new ground in the coming of age teen angst/romance genre.
it was very subtle, seemed genuine and real, but still needed a little something more.
04-04-09, 08:56 PM
#28
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
"Adventureland" is more about that adage "life is what happens when you're busy making other plans". James (Jesse Eisenberg) just graduated from college, with grad school waiting for him in the fall, and finds that his planned summer trip to Europe is out the window as his parents suffer financial losses. So James ends up working at an amusement park, Adventureland, begrudgingly during the summer of 1987.
The film works as a slice-of-life look at young adults coming of age as forces beyond their control derails their plans, but in the process, they find something much more richer, as the summer unfolds with experiences that enbolden friendship, love, betrayal, rumor mill fodder, and acceptance in light of personal faults and foibles.
No, this film isn't on a laugh-a-minute pace, but rather the humor tends to develop organically through character interaction, but there is a fair share of funny bits at the expense of the character's dignity at times that feels like real life experiences.
While Eisenberg's James comes across a bit like a Michael Cera-ish character, I think he is less socially awkward, but sincere and thoughtful (as he has budding journalistic aspirations). Kristen Stewart plays "Em" (Emily), who has her own backstory that doesn't hinder the storyline, but adds to developing her character in a way that brings enough conflict to her budding relationship with James and doesn't reduce her to simply the romantic interest. There are also solid supporting roles in the film that lends itself to provide a backdrop for the drama and humorous bits to flow throughout James' summer at "Adventureland".
I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.
The film works as a slice-of-life look at young adults coming of age as forces beyond their control derails their plans, but in the process, they find something much more richer, as the summer unfolds with experiences that enbolden friendship, love, betrayal, rumor mill fodder, and acceptance in light of personal faults and foibles.
No, this film isn't on a laugh-a-minute pace, but rather the humor tends to develop organically through character interaction, but there is a fair share of funny bits at the expense of the character's dignity at times that feels like real life experiences.
While Eisenberg's James comes across a bit like a Michael Cera-ish character, I think he is less socially awkward, but sincere and thoughtful (as he has budding journalistic aspirations). Kristen Stewart plays "Em" (Emily), who has her own backstory that doesn't hinder the storyline, but adds to developing her character in a way that brings enough conflict to her budding relationship with James and doesn't reduce her to simply the romantic interest. There are also solid supporting roles in the film that lends itself to provide a backdrop for the drama and humorous bits to flow throughout James' summer at "Adventureland".
I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.
Last edited by Patman; 03-15-11 at 09:38 AM.
04-05-09, 12:23 PM
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
I didn't like this one very much. I can appreciate a good coming of age story, but I didn't think this brought much new to the table and had so many ideas that went nowhere, that I just didn't care. I hated Kristen Stewart and while I thought Eisenberg was great in previous movies, I thought he was a bit one note in this... to be honest, the critical response is baffling to me. It wasn't funny enough to be a great comedy, it didn't work well enough as a drama to be something special.
Reynolds, Hader and Wiig aren't given enough to do and are mostly wasted. Martin Starr and those 3 made the movie bearable but overall I thought this was pretty terrible and not nearly as funny as they were making it seem - all the great laughs are in the trailer (and some work way better in the trailer than they did in the film).
I haven't been this disappointed with a movie since Hamlet 2 - another great trailer that yielded a horrendously unfunny movie.
Reynolds, Hader and Wiig aren't given enough to do and are mostly wasted. Martin Starr and those 3 made the movie bearable but overall I thought this was pretty terrible and not nearly as funny as they were making it seem - all the great laughs are in the trailer (and some work way better in the trailer than they did in the film).
I haven't been this disappointed with a movie since Hamlet 2 - another great trailer that yielded a horrendously unfunny movie.
04-05-09, 03:33 PM
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04-05-09, 03:36 PM
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04-06-09, 08:30 AM
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04-06-09, 09:17 AM
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
Any other Long Islander's here? There's an amusement park here named Adventureland. It's a small piece of crap but if you grew up on LI chances are you've spent a fair amount of your youth at Adventureland. I doubt there's any real connection (I'd check but I can't access the trailer or IMDB at work). I may watch the movie soley because of the name.
04-06-09, 11:20 AM
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04-06-09, 02:28 PM
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
Yes I'd rather see Point Break 5 (pretty much what F&F is) instead of some "remember when I was a teen and it was so bitter sweet" comedy with shitty actors. And don't get me started on that zombie girl from Twilight.
Last edited by Mopower; 04-06-09 at 02:31 PM.
04-06-09, 03:30 PM
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04-06-09, 03:46 PM
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Re: Adventureland (Mottola, 2009)
Saw this yesterday, wasn't thrilled by it. I mean, it was pretty good, but I rank pretty good below good and great. I agree with Scott that I didn't really feel any chemistry between the two leads.
Bill Hader was pretty funny in this though, and I usually don't like him. It was good to see Martin Starr in some role other than being the bearded fuck in "Knocked Up," also.
One thing I had a problem with though was the supposed age of these kids. I just graduated college last April, and none of the kids in the movie looked old enough to be college graduates. When they were talking about his graduation near the beginning, I really thought it was his high school graduation at first.
Bill Hader was pretty funny in this though, and I usually don't like him. It was good to see Martin Starr in some role other than being the bearded fuck in "Knocked Up," also.
One thing I had a problem with though was the supposed age of these kids. I just graduated college last April, and none of the kids in the movie looked old enough to be college graduates. When they were talking about his graduation near the beginning, I really thought it was his high school graduation at first.