Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Adventureland


One of the great things about UGA (and really any big college campus) are the free movie screenings. Around 6 times a semester, a studio will role into Athens and test out a new tentpole summer movie or try and build buzz around a smaller release. The movies vary wildly in quality from dismal teen movie rip offs like Sex Drive to the critically respected albeit college friendly film Knocked Up.

Well last night was one of those nights, where you line up an hour early with your printed out admit one pass, eager to grab free crap already in a fairly forgiving mindset. I have to say I was fairly excited about last nights screening of Adventureland.

Adventureland is director Greg Mottola's followup to his smash hit Superbad, and instead of it being a raunchy successor, it proved to be a much more low key film then I ,needless to say the audience, was expecting. Instead of a fast paced Judd Apatow raunchfest with heart, it felt more like a pleasant John Hughes film fused with Linklater's Slackers. Here's the plot summary:

It's the summer of 1987, and James Brennan (Eisenberg) has just graduated college. James is all set to embark on his dream tour of Europe when his parents (Wendie Malick and Jack Gilpin) suddenly announce that they won't be able to subsidize the trip. Now the only things James has to look forward to this summer are sugar-fueled children, belligerent dads, and an endless parade of giant stuffed animals. When James strikes up a relationship with captivating co-worker Em (Stewart), however, he finally starts to loosen up. Suddenly, the worst summer ever doesn't seem quite so bad. (wikipedia)

Eisenberg is effective with his Woody Allen ramblings, while Stewart still impresses as a mildly destructive undergrad. Hader and Whig supply the film with its only Apatow appropriate scenes, as the film gently and pleasantly meanders from interaction to interaction, taking a few plot pit stops along the way.

If I sound a bit underwhelmed...well perhaps I am, however a day after seeing Adventureland I feel as if I am looking back on a lazy summer filled with unremarkable events but memorable people. I believe that's its biggest achievement. When remembering important summers in my past, I struggle with the specifics while vidly remembering the feelings. Alot of Adventureland I felt, while the rest with the whole "plot" thing, I could have done without. Grade: B

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