Adventureland Blu Ray Review
August 31, 2009
Adventureland is Greg Mottola’s follow up to successful Superbad. The trailer and small previews all point out that fact very proudly. The marketers also touted it as similar movie. That would have been except Adventureland is a very different movie. It is not a teenage sex adventure film like Superbad. Instead, Adventureland is a coming of age romance film that is vastly different from Superbad. The movie does have some funny scenes and moments. However, it is more drama than comedy.
The movie is about a recent college graduate who has to move back home to earn some money before heading to New York to attend graduate school. He initially planned to travel the Europe after the graduation. However, his parents encounter financial difficulty when his father is demoted. Forced earn his own money, he moves back home and takes job at local amusement park called Adventureland. The job is terrible and funny at same time. We meet various funny characters. But, he falls hard for an employee named Em. She is a college student who is taking a break and working at the amusement park. The overall story revolves around this couple.
The story is a fairly entertaining. The setting of 1980s is clearly aimed at the older generation who might feel nostalgic about their time in the 80s. However, it’s a film a Superbad fan will also be able to appreciate. The movie has right balance of drama mixed in with some comedic moments. Overall, it is a very enjoyable film with broad appeals.
What do you think about this movie? Please leave your thoughts below.
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Surprisingly good
I rented this at Redbox because, well, there wasn’t anything else. I was expecting kind of a superbad/nick and nora type of movie that I have marginally enjoyed in the past. Wow was I delightfully surprised. This movie is not about slapstick/teenage sexual humor. It’s basically a summer love story, but one that is much more realistic and truthful than 95% of the summer love stories out there. This is definitely Kristen Stewart’s best role as it has 10 times the depth than any of her other roles I’ve seen and hopefully this will put Eisenberg on the map. Great movie for anyone 16+.
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Good Grief Folks: These Are College Graduates!!
Reading the many laudatory reviews of how this is a great “Coming of age” story, I’m struck by how different today’s college grads must be…Innocent young naif who has obviously never been kissed and is crushed because as a college grad Mommsy and daddsy can no longer spring for a graduation jaunt through Europe and high-priced grad school. If this were the story of a sheltered pampered high school Valley Guy as in “Clueless,” I could maybe buy the premise, but this is no teenager–he’s a supposedly grown man (albeit with a worthless liberal arts degree) who should be pulling up his socks and getting on with his life. Granted, Kristen Stewart’s plight is poignant, her stepMom is a horror, and she’s still in school, but even “Felicity” went out and got a job as a barista rather than knuckle under to her Dad. This whole story struck me as a self-indulgent immature refusal to come to terms with adulthood and independence–or is that maybe the point of the whole movie. If so, that doesn’t seem to be the message other folks are getting.
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Offbeat but endearing comedy
There is an unmistakable ramshackle and unfocused feel to this coming of age comedy about the pains and pleasures of working a thankless summer job, and it suits the movie quite nicely. The plot, in a nutshell, follows a summer in the life of James, a teen who finds himself forced to take a job in a rundown amusement park in Pittsburgh after his parents suffer a financial setback that won’t allow them to pay his way through college. James is played by Jesse Eisenberg as a neurotic, insecure, niave and ultimately likeable kid not unsimilar to the many characters played by Michael Cera. In fact, somebody should put the two of them in a movie together as brothers or cousins or something. But I digress.
Adventureland follows James as he gets a reality check about working a crappy job to pay for college, forms friendships with the other oddball park employees and falls in love with Em, played by Kristen Stewart. The movie is at its best when it sticks to the details of what it’s like to work at an amusement park; the rigged games, angry patrons, rides that bread down and the general camaraderie that the employees develop as they just hang out with one another. During these vignettes, Adventureland is an engagingly askew comedy. It doesn’t really have any focused center. It’s just about being young, hanging out and hoping that the future works out.
The movie is less successful when it focuses on the romance between James and Em. Eissenberg and Stewart are a likeable couple, but they never really feel all that convincing. I for one never beleived that their feelings for one aonther went that deep so the subplots about Em’s affair with Ryan Reynolds’ character or James’ date with coworker Melissa P. never really added much to the mix. If anything, they were a distraction from the film’s comedic center and they took time away from hilarious supporting players such as Martin Starr and Bill Hader.
Nevertheless, with it’s scruffy appeal, smart and funny dalogue and cool soundtrack (The Replacements and Lou Reed figure prominently in the mix), Adventureland is ultimately an enjoyable movie that leaves you feeling that it could have been something more.
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4 1/2! Loved it but it isnt for everyone
“Adventureland” written and directed by Greg Mottola
1987, Pennsylvania; James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has just graduated college and is ready to embark on his long awaited European tour before going on to grad school in New York in the fall. Unfortunately James’ father has been transferred into a much lower paying position which results in the summer trip being canceled and his ability to attend grad school is in question also. James hasn’t reached the bottom yet however as he has to get a summer job and with his lack of experience the only thing currently available is a position as a game operator at the local amusement park Adventureland with his former best friend Frigo. The job is less than satisfactory but James does take interest in his co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart) so maybe the job won’t be a complete waste of time…
Adventureland was a great movie but isn’t going to be for everyone. Adventureland wasn’t a basic Rom/Com as it didn’t employ the typical over the top slapstick comedy and instead relied on a slightly smarter brand of humor combined with some crude humor.
The Good: Great performances from all the actors/actresses and the move was well cast. I thought Kristen Stewart’s take on her character was great. The character is very flawed and Kristen nailed it. The same can be said for Jesse’s portrayal of James. The time in which the story takes place was an interesting choice and worked well and also provided a great soundtrack. Loved the humor in this movie and that it didn’t rely on trite slap stick or completely on crude humor.
The Bad: Nothing memorable.
Overall: If you are a fan of any of the actors / actresses or Rom Com in general than give Adventureland a try.
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Amazingly Awesome
As a native Long Islander the only thing I can say bad about this movie is it did not take place on Long Island. Besides that, this movie was great. Start to finish it was just a good film. Each actor played their character perfectly. They are all believable and genuine which makes the story that much better. While the movie is pitched as a comedy it is way deeper than your traditional comedy. If you are looking for the second Superbad you will not find it here. However, this movie does have to offer great laughs just of a different kind of humor. Some dry, some slapstick but either way this movie is funny. The deep storyline takes it to the next level which makes the movie that much better.
Mottola did a great job with this film as did the actors who starred in it.
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a nice little slice of life movie. greg mottola tells his story like a cherished and vivid memory (which is what it actually is) and standout performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart make the film worth while. the laughs are human and honest and the drama is quietly affecting. its not perfect, but its a good coming of age story.
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There’s a lot to be said for nastalgia!
This was a really fun, heart warming movie with a little bit of tension, a little bit of comedy and a whole lot of honesty thrown in. I think you’d have to be the age the characters were in the movie during the mid to late 80′s to fully appreciate the setting. It captured the era perfectly! (I swear I think I had the big, red, plastic heart earrings Lisa P wore!) The soundtrack was stellar. The acting for the most part was great. (I’m not a huge K Stewart fan!) Bill Hader, Martin Starr, Jesse Eisenberg and Margarita Levieva were all perfectly cast and had moments in the movie that made me cry I was reminising/laughing so hard. If you’re looking for a great reminder of the age, a reminder of your life at that time or just a good movie in general, pick this one up! If you’re looking for another Superbad… you might want to pass.
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I know 1987, and this movie has nothing to do with 1987.
Beside the fact that I was terribly bored with the story, it was unbelievably inaccurate. The clothing, the hair, the fact that none of these 18 year olds had trouble getting booze or getting into clubs – it made me wonder if any of the filmmakers were alive in 1987. I remember a lot more hairspray and hot rollers, and fake IDs.
The only character that’s sympathetic is the Russian lit major, and his one good chance at a conflict fizzles like a dud firecracker. The rest of the characters are boring and one dimensional. The so-called love story is clearly going to be a failure, regardless of how it turns out.
Don’t bother with this one.
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Dream Summer Turns Sour
“Adventureland” is the bittersweet story of James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg, “The Squid and the Whale”) who, on graduating from college in 1987, looks forward to traveling through Europe that summer and attending Columbia University’s grad school in the fall. These plans are dashed when his parents (Wendy Malick, Jack Gilpin) inform him that his father was recently demoted and they no longer can afford to pay for the European trip. In addition, to help pay for grad school, he’ll have to get a summer job in his home town of Pittsburgh.
Rebuffed by several potential employers because of his lack of experience, James finally gets a job at a local amusement park, Adventureland, operated by Paulette and Bobby (Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader). Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds) is the park’s maintenance man, a bit older than the college age employees, and rumored to have rubbed shoulders with show biz types.
Though marketed as a wild and freewheeling teen comedy, “Adventureland is actually a drama. Sure, it has its funny moments, some based on the antics of “Saturday Night Live” veterans Wiig and Hader, others based on romantic awkwardness and James’ journey from child to young adult. Eisenberg has an endearing, puppy-dog screen persona that works perfectly here. We immediately sympathize with him when his plans are suddenly thrown into turmoil, and are impressed at his ability to accept a bad break and make the best of a tough situation.
Kristen Stewart (“Twilight”) plays James’ love interest and Martin Starr (“Knocked Up”) is the wisecracking nerd. The soundtrack turns the clock back to 1980′s Top 40, with music by The Cure, David Bowie, Crowded House, INXS, Lou Reed, and more.
Bonus extras include deleted scenes, a making-of featurette, commentary by director Greg Mottola and Eisenberg, and a digital copy of the film. Exclusive on the Blu-ray release are “Welcome to Adventureland,” a collection of the park’s commercials, orientation training video, and drug policy; and a satirical behind-the-scenes featurette.
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Blu-ray: A hilarious film which will definitely bring 80′s nostalgia courtesy of its awesome soundtrack to viewers
In 2009, writer and director Greg Mottola’s (“Superbad”, “Arrested Development” and “Undeclared”) film “Adventureland” was released in theaters and for the most part, received positive reviews from the film critics. Now the film receives its High Definition treatment via Blu-ray (which includes a digital copy) and also a DVD release.
The film takes place in the 80′s and revolves around James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg, “The Village” and “Solitary Man”), a Comparative Literature major who graduated from Oberlin College and plans to pursue his undergraduate degree at Columbia University but first, celebrate his graduation by taking advantage of his family’s gift to send him to Europe over the summer.
Unfortunately, his father (Jack Gilpin, “21, “Law & Order”) was moved to a new department which pays less money than his previous job and thus his mother (Wendie Malick, “Just Shoot Me!”, “Fillmore”, “Frasier”), break the news to him that the money saved for the trip is now gone, nor can they pay for his college.
So, now James must save up money for his trip to Europe by looking for a job. Unfortunately, finding a job has been too difficult and leaves him with his last resort, working at the local summer theme park known as “Adventureland” and is under the constant eye of his boss Bobby (Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) and his wife Paulette (Kristin Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”).
James ends up working with Russian Literature major and all-round nerd Joel (Martin Starr, “The Incredible Hulk”, “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story”, “Superbad” and “Knocked Up”); his former childhood best friend Tommy Frigo (Matt Bush, “Halloween II”) who is now more of a jerk (and for some apparent reason, keeps hitting James in the nads); the technician and musician Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds, “The Proposal”, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”); the Lou Reed fan Em Lewin (Kristen Stewart, “Twilight” films) and the sexy Lisa P (Margarita Levieva, “Spread” and “Vanished”).
While working at Adventureland, James begins a friendship with his co-workers and eventually gets invited to Em’s party. While at the party, the two end up hitting it off and James becomes smitten with her, but he is unaware that Em and Mike Connell have some sort of relationship behind-the-scenes, despite Mike being a married man.
And it’s hard for anyone to look down on Mike Connel. It appears that everyone at Adventureland looks up to Connell. Especially with rumors that he played guitar with Lou Reed, let alone being popular with the women who think he is a rock star. So, naturally for James (who has not had much experience with girls or dating), he starts to go to Connell for love advice.
But through his summer job at Adventureland, James learns a lot about himself, about love but also the pain of being in love.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
“Adventureland” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:85:1) and cinematographer Terry Stacey (“Sex and the City”, “P.S. I Love You” and “Wanderlust” does a good job in bringing the look of the 1980′s to film. One thing that people will notice is the amount of grain on the film. For those who love the film look, the film definitely retains its grain and shows no sign of DNR (Digital Noise Reduction).
For the most part, the film is shot outdoors at a theme park and is shot primarily during the day, thus you get a good amount of color during those sunny days. While night time shots are either at the amusement park, inside a car or inside a home. For the most part, blacks are nice and deep and of course, there is shadowing but its typically due to the lighting of the amusement park. But overall, “Adventureland” is a film that looks good and the grain definitely gives the film a sort of nostalgic look to it.
As for the audio, the film is presented in English 5.1 DTS-HD (48 kHz/24-Bit) and also French 5.1 Dolby Digital. The film is primarily dialogue driven and music-based film. Dialogue is clear and understandable through the front and center channels while popular 80′s music is a big plus for this film and will definitely be appreciated for those who grew up during this time. Although the film does not utilize major sound effects, there are scenes such as fireworks during July 4th that really sound nice and poppy through your front and surrounds.
Subtitles are presented in English SDH, French and Spanish.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Adventureland” comes with the following special features in 1080p or 480i, English 2.0 Dolby Digital, English SDH, French and Spanish:
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Deleted Scenes – (2:27) Deleted scenes featuring: Drunk Mom , Angry Grandfather, James Keeps Quiet. With optional audio commentary by writer and director Greg Mottola
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Audio Commentary – Writer/director Greg Mottola and actor Jesse Eisenberg talk about film. Mottola sets up the scene but for the most part the commentary often features the two joking around while doing commentary. Interesting comments on the number of songs licensed for the film and the challenges Mottola faced when their budget was low but need a song for the ending credits.
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Just My Life: The Making Of Adventureland – (16:31) Director and writer Greg Mottola sits down to reveal how his real life experiences helped inspire his unique comic vision for Daytrippers, Superbad, Arrested Development and now Adventureland. Cast members Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, and Martin Starr also talk candidly about what shaped them into who they are today, including the worst job they ever had.
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Picture Music Selection – For those who enjoyed the 80′s music from the film, you can view segments from the film featuring an artist or band’s music.
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Frigo’s Ball Tap – (2:29) The “drive by,” the “ambush,” the “stranger,” the “tying of the shoe” and the knee-buckling, tear-inducing “Bangkok” are just a few of the nad numbing moves demonstrated by the testicle tapping guru himself, Matt Bush.
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Lisa P’s Guide To Style – (2:08) Ms. “Rides, Rides, Rides” herself, Lisa P (Margarita Levieva), shares her totally hip, totally `80s fashion advice from spiral locks to neon pink nail polish.
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Welcome to Adventureland – Fans can learn all there is to know about the Adventureland theme park with a pair commercials promoting Fun-tastic Time at Adventure Land (:33 ) and another for fireworks at Adventureland (:42), the employee orientation kit (3:34) hosted by Joel and a peek at the official drug policy (:44).
EASTER EGG: I also found an Easter Egg for the Blu-ray version. Move left on your remote while “Bonus Features” is highlighted and you will see panda bear. Click on the panda bear to access a Kristen Stewart trying to get into the Razzmatazz dance club. (1:24)
JUDGMENT CALL:
For those who are interested in “Adventureland”, one may think that Director Mottola is back with another “SuperBad” style of movie but I just want to emphasize that although “Adventureland” does have many humorous elements and the fact that there is a lot of scenes with the characters smoking weed, “Adventureland” is very much a love story. Call it a genuine romantic comedy.
What makes this film quite enjoyable is its colorful cast of characters and its wonderful music. It can easily be called an 80′s-style film, pot film (definitely not a hardcore stoner film) but the characters are what makes this film so enjoyable. You can easily remember Tommy Frigo and his crazy nad hitting antics, Lisa P’s sexy 80′s dance moves, Joel trying to understand James and how he was able to become closer with Em and even Adventureland managers Bobby and Paulette who are just crazy in their own way.
As for the main talent, Jesse Eisenberg was just perfect as James Brennan. Eisenberg does a great job portraying the awkward Brennan and how he grows as a person throughout the summer. Kristen Stewart also is a natural in playing the role of Em and bringing that sense that she’s a troubled teen and showing us that she has more to offer outside of her popular role in “Twilight” (note: Stewart filmed “Adventureland” before filming “Twilight” but the latter came out in theaters first).
As for Ryan Reynolds, his character as Mike Connell is a bit hard to read at first but you eventually see his true colors as the film progresses. I sort of look at him as a man stuck within his former self of what he could have been but now thrives on being popular to those at the theme park and those people making him out better than he truly is.
But for the most part, the characters seem real and genuine, thus making the film much more enjoyable. As a romantic comedy, it’s not the best but it’s hard to deny the captivating storyline. I really enjoyed watching this film!
As for the music, “Adventureland” is a film that showcases popular 80′s music such as Falco’s “Amadeus”, David Bowie’s “Modern Love”, The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven”, The Outfield’s “Your Love”, INXS’s “Don’t Change”, Expose’s “Point of No Return”, and many more. So, it was great to see how music was utilized in the film, especially Falco’s “Amadeus” (since most of us who grew up at that time know how this song was overplayed).
As for the Blu-ray release, as mentioned, the Blu-ray comes with a digital copy of the film and the special features (which are unrated) are quite entertaining. From “Frigo’s Taps” and learning about various ways on how to hit someone in the nads was definitely unexpected. Also, to see a featurette based on the character of Lisa P and showcasing her 80′s fashion style was quite interesting.
Overall, I enjoyed “Adventureland” for being an enjoyable romantic comedy. A pretty entertaining storyline, intriguing and genuine characters and fabulous music made this film so enjoyable!
For those looking for a fun, highly entertaining, young adult romantic comedy especially a film that showcases music from the 80′s, definitely give “Adventureland” a try.
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Games! Games! Games! Working the summer away at ADVENTURELAND
ADVENTURELAND is a charming coming of age story, set during the summer of 1987 when recently graduated from college James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) has to forego a planned trip to Europe in order to work a summer job at a local Pittsburgh amusement park so he can save up enough money to attend grad school at Columbia in the fall. Although he has bachelor’s degrees in Comparative Literature and Renaissance Studies, James soon is relegated to working as a carny at the games booths of Adventureland where he soon makes friends with an eclectic group of fellow workers and falls in love. What appeared on the surface to be a terrible and wasted summer, in actuality becomes a major transformative influence for James as he discovers who he is and what his place is in the world. This is ADVENTURELAND. This is not how ADVENTURELAND was marketed.
Billed as a hilarious comedy from writer and director Greg Mottola, the director of the teen comedy SUPERBAD, ADVENTURELAND is not a riotously funny film that will have an audience crying with laughter. While both SUPERBAD and ADVENTURELAND are at their cores essentially about the relationships between people at awkward phases of their lives, ADVENTURELAND has a much more subdued humor, allowing the audience to be drawn into James as a character and to empathize with him. ADVENTURELAND is a character driven piece, and one that is a delight to discover, as long as one overlooks the ad campaigns and does not go into the movie expecting to see SUPERBAD set in an amusement park.
The key to ADVENTURELAND’s success is the casting of Jesse Eisenberg (THE SQUID AND THE WHALE) and Kristen Stewart (TWILIGHT) in the two principal roles. The chemistry between the two is beautifully developed and each of the young actors brings such a genuineness to their performances the audience is quickly invested in their story. Mottola likes having the characters in his films be real, to not seem like a caricature of how a teen or young adult is generally portrayed on screen, as that of a simple and glamorized dilution of truth, but rather to capture them at their most awkward, unguarded times so the audience can see who they truly are as a character. Stewart’s portrayal of Em completely fits within this paradigm, and she gives a brilliantly angst ridden, uncomfortable and fidgety performance that at every single moment exudes nothing but truth. This was the biggest surprise of the film, for while it may be easy to let Stewart just get lost in all of the hype that is the TWILIGHT saga, and to only equate her with the character Bella from that franchise, one cannot forget that she is probably one of the most talented young actresses working in film today, and one that has great potential for tackling even more dynamic characters.
What becomes most indicative of the subtlety in character that Mottola is creating in his film though are the roles of Adventureland’s manager played by Kristen Wiig (“Saturday Night Life”) and junior manager, Bill Hader (“Saturday Night Live”). These characters set the comedic tone of the film, as both of the wonderfully talented comedians play it straight, allowing the comedy to slowly percolate off of them, while not overshadowing the character driven thrust of the movie.
Setting the movie in 1987 could have easily allowed the film to become nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek joke at the decade, but Mottola really doesn’t dwell on this. Yes, there are the hot pink leopard print tights, Aqua-Netted beyond belief hair and lots of scrunchies, but ADVENTURELAND doesn’t ever stray from its central focus of character. Instead, it merely has the 80s as an unobtrusive backdrop to the unfolding of the story central to the characters, tied amazingly together by an 80s soundtrack that is brilliantly thought out. Music supervisor Tracy McKnight has pulled together songs from Lou Reed, David Bowie, The Cure and many others to create a rich, sonic tapestry that doesn’t sound like yet another “Remember the 80s” music mix that is regurgitated in film after film. The result not only mirrors the emotional states of the characters, but provides a refreshing and original take on the decade and is easily one of the best soundtracks of the year so far.
The only fault in ADVENTURELAND though comes in its writing. To introduce conflict and to further perpetuate the character arcs of the story, James tells a huge secret to a completely untrustworthy co-worker with the caveat of “don’t tell this to anyone.” Of course the audience knows what will happen. But then it happens again later in the film. Another secret, another untrustworthy co-worker and another “don’t tell this to anyone.” At this point it becomes such a glaring contrivance by the screenwriter that it undermines the truthfulness that the actors have worked so hard to bring to the portrayal of their characters. While it may seem a minor point, it does serve to dilute the film and forces it to become formulaic as it transitions from its second to third acts.
ADVENTURELAND is a welcome surprise though and a film with some great and subtle performances that easily distinguish it from the film it was forever tied to in its advertising campaign.
For the Blu-ray release, Miramax has put together a great package that includes a digital copy of the film along with the Blu-ray disc, adding to the products overall value. This is a great bonus that many more distributors need to start clueing in on. The bonus features have an informative making of featurette, the requisite audio commentary by writer and director Greg Mottola and star Jesse Eisenberg, a few deleted scenes and some fun short featurettes including “Lisa P’s Guide to Style,” “Frigo’s Taps” and a great set of promos for Adventureland amusement park including commercials, employee training videos and the Adventureland drug policy. The most welcome bonus feature though is a menu that lets you jump to any of the songs in the movie, spotlighting its incredible soundtrack. All in all, some fun bonus features.
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Better than expected
From Superbad helmer Greg Mottola comes Adventureland, a coming of age saga disguised as a teen comedy, just like Superbad was before it. And just like Superbad once again, Adventureland proves to be a better than expected film that is both heartfelt and plenty funny. Jesse Eisenberg stars as James, a down on his luck college grad who gets shuffled off to Pittsburgh and stuck with a summer job at the amusement park from which the film gets its title. He finds a kindred spirit in Em (Kristen Stewart), and finds himself well liked among his fellow co-workers, including his bosses (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig) and other eccentrics (Ryan Reynolds and Martin Starr among others). As time unfolds, James learns a few life lessons along the way; many of which he definitely doesn’t see coming. In between all of this drama however are some definite funny moments, and despite all the teen dramedy, Adventureland never comes off as pretentious or boring. The cast is good and there’s some great dialogue as well, with the end result being the film being something that is incredibly hard not to like. All in all, Adventureland is something that is definitely worth your time, and once again like Superbad before it, is a different sort of teen comedy that those who don’t like the typical teen comedy will actually manage to enjoy.
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For Any College Graduate or Soon to Be One
When I went to see this movie, I thought I was going to end up seeing something like Superbad, and though I loved Superbad as a movie about High School, this was ten times better in every aspect. Maybe its my personality, maybe its because I had been dating a girl that looked like Em (from how she carried herself, responsed to things, and the such), maybe because I was finishing up with college after having started in a Community college because my dad lost his job, and my college fund had to help the family, and then I transfered to a four year state college. Maybe it was because I had gotten accepted to Columbia for a journalism program. I don’t know. But not one moment of this film rang false. I met every solitary character in the movie. I dated a girl just like Em, I knew a married musician who made up stories of people he opened for (he did eventually open for a band at the Centrum), I have a jewish friend who majored in Russian Literature before going for a Master degree as an archivist.
This film was so emotionally real to me, I have waited for its release since it left the theaters. I saw it six times in the theaters.
This is the movie for post college malaise, we all feel it, we all go through it, we’re all still just searching for who we are, what we’re going to do, and how we’re going to become successful in life. Chasing dreams, finding ourselves, looking for love. This movie has all of it. Its funny, its sad, its brilliant, its powerful, its worth every minute that I’ve sat through it, every penny that I spent watching it. If you’ve graduated college, are going to college, want a movie that reminds you of younger days, of jobs you hate, of girls you love, of friends you leave, of chasing dreams, and of following your heart, this movie is for you to watch. I don’t know how to sell the movie anymore than that, and I don’t think I should have to.
Ignore the previews, ignore the advertising, focus on the movie itself, go in expecting nothing, and you’ll come out with everything. This movie is wonderful, important, and just overall, an everything that I’ve ever looked for in a film. It left that sour feeling in my stomach for the girl I lost out on by not going after her, it made me remember those early days when I worked with friends at stupid jobs that I couldn’t stand, it made me remember how the things you think are going to be horrible in life, can actually explain your life to you more than everything you think will be great.
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This disc costs me over $150
This was the title that broke me down into getting a Blu Ray player and the fact that titles still play on 1080i over component (I have an older HD set -5 YEARS OLD)
I saw this wonderful film in the theatres FOUR times!
The costs were for getting the Blu Ray player.
I wouldn’t had minded including a regular DVD as well like Disney does with their other titles.
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A competent Blu product on an unexpected film
The initial backlash from customers expecting an entirely different film will subside I believe, as long as people go into this expecting nothing of what was advertised. The trailers and ad promos campaign this as being a laugh-a-minute follow up to this cast and crew’s other films, when actually it covers the twenty-something angst of finding one self (and love) while working in a less than stellar environment (with a few good laughs in the middle).
The Blu picture looked good, and the DTS was great for the 80s music and funland/carnival style sounds. What gives this a higher rating is the amount of work put into the extras, even though some of them suck and are unfunny, it does not disqualify the time they put into these.
* Frigo’s Taps (excl. to Blu) – the whack guy gets his few minutes to show how to master the tapping of a man’s region, was actually funnier than the movie – be sure to watch until the end when the director gets him back – my favorite was the drive-by tap.
* Lisa Fashion Tips (excl. to Blu) – irritating, skip it.
* Welcome To Adventureland, Orientation and Drug Policy Videos (excl. to Blu) – close to what one saw if you watched Waiting. Some funny moments, but dry. They are all filmed with a retro feel and degraded film stock.
On all versions:
* 3 minutes of deleted scenes, forgettable.
* Making of – lasts 17 minutes and has the standard fare on logistics, production and cast selection reasoning.
* Picture/Music option – allows you to go to the scene directly as sorted by the song being played.
Once I saw what kind of film it was regarding themes and type of “comedy”, I was alright with rating it higher. The ending was unrealistic, but kudos to the prop department for doing a solid job on recreation of the period. 3 1/2 for the film, 1 1/2 for the Blu pic, supplements and sound.
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