Adventureland Review

I saw it yesterday and thought it was less than impressive, but not bad. I am not going to run out and get the DVD. It had its moments but otherwise I got bored.

It was cool seeing scenes from Kennywood and around Pittsburgh, though!

-Tina

I'll admit that I didn't want to believe skydivingjeff's review because it looked like a really good movie when it was previewed for us at Coasterbash but I have to agree with everything he said.

The lead part had to be written for Michael Cera, who I'm guessing was not available at the time. Actually, the two lead characters reminded me a lot of Nick & Norah's two lead characters: a quiet, somewhat socially-inept young guy trying to make sense of life and a young woman whose experiences in life make her a bit older than she actually is. Kristen Stewart even reminded me a bit of Kat Dennings.

Kennywood didn't play a huge role in the story and Jeff was right, the movie could have been shot pretty much anywhere and the story would have worked just as well. The story was basically good but I thought the dialogue was pretty weak- I was expecting another Superbad but instead got Saturday Night Live. I didn't get the whole thing about amusement park workers being a bunch of alcohol and pot addicts. I'm not naive and I'm definitely no prude, but I had a hard time believing that's what defines amusement park employment, nor did I find it particularly amusing.

Maybe it's just because the humor was lackluster. The scenes with Bill Hader were the best ones, and even those didn't work right. There was one scene where the main character (to show how much I cared about his plight, I can't even remember his name) is being chased by a park guest and he ducks into the park manager/owner's office. Bill Hader, who is gluing eyes onto stuffed bananas, grabs a bat and immediately flies into a rage directed at the unruly park guest, even though he really has no idea what's going on. He then comes back to the office and quickly returns to his previous mood, which should be the hilarious part of the whole thing, except for the fact the scene wasn't set up to make that the punchline. The movie's best humor was the main character's friend always punching him in the nuts, and even that got old after a while.

Not a bad movie... I'll buy the DVD because there aren't many movies out there that take place at an amusement park, and especially not a park like Kennywood. But Adventureland is no Kennywood.

Screened the movie yesterday. I thought it could've used a lot less drugs and a lot more scenes in the park. It's just an ehh movie for me, not bad but not great either.

Rob Ascough said:
Actually, the two lead characters reminded me a lot of Nick & Norah's two lead characters: a quiet, somewhat socially-inept young guy trying to make sense of life and a young woman whose experiences in life make her a bit older than she actually is.

Isn't that pretty much every movie written about kids this age in the past five years?

All that seems to change is the situation these same generic characters are stuck in.

Maybe so. To be honest, I haven't seen too many movies with lead characters at that point in their life. Most of the comedies I've seen in the past few years were either the product of Kevin Smith, Judd Apatow or one of his clan.

Rob Ascough said:
I didn't get the whole thing about amusement park workers being a bunch of alcohol and pot addicts. I'm not naive and I'm definitely no prude, but I had a hard time believing that's what defines amusement park employment, nor did I find it particularly amusing.

Well, take away the pot and the drinking on the job and it's fairly accurate. At least in the realm of CP employment. Although I can see where the movie was trying to give the characters more of a carny feel, which is probably where the heavy pot use came into play.

But if I take away the pot and the alcohol, I see a bunch of post-high schoolers that are basically miserable with what they're doing to earn money. Is that it? The mentality of the average amusement park employee?

I don't mean for that to sound sarcastic, I'm genuinely curious.

Honestly, yes, that's pretty accurate. I was never a part of that, as I loved what I was doing at the park and so did/do quite a few other people. But that description could apply to a good 75% of the seasonal workforce.

...But there where a good 25% who were so "for" the park and loved their job way too much. It was almost as if they were in "The Cedar Point Employee Cult". They could recite every rule and dress code snippet.

Each year I worked there, I really liked my job, but I didn't agree with some of the park's policies and sometimes didn't get along well with my imediate supervisors. They respected me because I was in it to help the park succeed, but they doubled their respect because they saw that I still had my own soul.

About the alcohol...Their was a bar that catered to CP employees. Louie's was always packed. I went only a few times, because they didn't have any have bands...not my kind of bar.

I saw the movie yesterday and I thought it was decent. I did, however, go in with such low expectations that I kind of expected the guy behind the counter to slip me a few bucks for going to see it. ;)

But, yeah, it was alright. I think the main problem with it is that the movie trailer doesn't at all capture what the movie is about. You kind of go into it expecting the park employment experience to be the centerfold and it isn't.

There were a lot of mini-themes and stories to the movie and that was enough to keep me entertained for the duration. I think the main theme is not at all related to working at an amusement park, but rather the walk the main characters take in recognizing their parents are flawed human beings.

I agree that Bill Hader carried the majority of the comedy for the movie. But again, I'm not convinced the movie was meant to be the goofy comedy it was advertised to be.

But I think it's worth seeing. It's pretty cool to see Kennywood regardless. And if you stick around long enough through the credits, you get to see an "Adventureland" promo that is entertaining.

I wish I'd known about the promo after the credits before I went to see the movie...

I thought the movie was alright, not great, but not horrible. Kristen Stewart basicall played the same character she was in Twighlight, just a little more sluttier. (Could she possibly push her hair out of her face any more?)

The movie at it's core made me long for those care-free days of early adulthood where you lived for the moment. Working late, partying even later. It reminded me of working at CP in the mid to late eighties. Going to Louie's, meeting lots of new people, basically spreading my wings and flying truly solo for the first time.

At the same time it made me glad to be finished with that chapter of my life where drama was just another part of romance, and life in general.

All in all 3 out of 5 corndogs. :)

Tambo

The main character had a hint of cool to him, not as naive or innocent as most of of Cera's characters...Take away the apprehensive stutter and you wouldn't be making the comparison.

I went to see the movie last Friday. It was no where near as bad as some of the reviews here suggest. The "R" rating was insane... no nudity, no violence, but just because there was weed (the rating had to be based on "you are helping the terrorists because you smoke pot" mentality).

I was in my teens and early twenties during the eighties and the movie captured the time period well. At that time I worked in the carny scene, drinking and smoking weed were the norm (shocking today in our neo-victorian mindset). I guess that type of behavior never happens today ;)

Overall I thought it was a good movie and really enjoyed seeing bits of Kennywood on the big screen.

I really liked the movie. This isn't a bloody theme park drama or comedy with coaster nerds, it's about a kid having a ****ty ass summer and finding something worthwhile and true through it all. I hated how they played it up as the next Superbad in the promos, I knew what to expect so I wasn't let down like my two buddies I went were.

It captured the feeling of working a somewhat slow, ****ty summer job where you make friends with those suffering with you. I worked a park and I can say these odd relationships form and it brought back some memories (especially the hiring on the spot!)

I give it a solid B.

You don't go to Spider-Man 3 and complain how there isn't enough Cleveland in it. (you complain about everything else!)