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Cast: Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Reynolds, Wendie Malick, Bill Hader, Jack Gilpin, Margarita Levieva, Sue O'Malley, Martin Starr, Kristen Wiig
Unable to afford the European vacation he'd dreamed of, recent college grad James Brennan reluctantly takes a gig at a local amusement park, only to learn that the dead-end job is, in fact, excellent preparation for the real world.
A lot of you I am sure are around that age to remember growing up in the 80's, it could be a tough time but there were certain things about it that brings back fond memories. James is a young man fresh out college and looking for that ultimate trip he was dreaming of and waiting for so long to take. But when he finds out his mom and dad are no longer able to help fund the trip his dreams are shattered and like most young men during the 80's he is stuck taking a low paying job at Adventureland, an amusement park close to where he lives. I was looking forward to seeing this for several reasons, one is that it was filmed in my hometown at our local amusement park and the other being the cast. One thing I must get straight here for those that have not seen the movie yet, this is not the comedy you might be expecting it to be. The trailers were a little misleading advertising it as a funny comedy but hey don't get me wrong there is plenty of humor in the film and most of it is very funny but is not the main theme here. Adventureland is more a coming of age film filled with some dark humor and drama as well as romance. I loved the film don't get me wrong, I felt it had all the right elements blended together just do not expect something like the other comedies that were released this summer because this has something they don't, heart and a story anyone can relate to.The extremely realistic approach pulls you in and makes you care for these characters, I really wanted things to work for Brennan and Em and I felt their pain as I think we have all been through this at some point in our lives. The cast was amazing, Jesse Eisenberg is fantastic as James, he is one of the best young actors today and if you do not believe then check out "The Education of Charlie Banks" and see for yourself. Kristen Stewart is also very good and plays her role as Em perfectly. Also who doesn't love Bill Hader, he provides a lot of the laughs here and is his usual hilarious self. Ryan Reynolds is also in the film and plays, Mike Connell, the guy that fixes stuff in the park and who is married but is also having an affair with Em on the side. So as you can tell Adventureland is a lot more than your average comedy, it is the kind of film you rarely see anymore, it is sweet, smart, moving and at times very funny. Pick it up today I promise you will find it to be highly entertaining. The DVD comes packed with Special Features that include:
Anamorphic Widescreen - 1.85
Audio: Dolby Digital - English
Just My Life: The Making Of ADVENTURELAND
Deleted Scenes: with Optional Commentary
Released by Miramax Home Entertainment. **** Out Of *****