Adventureland
This Is That Productions
7/10
The Emperor!: What looked like a pure comedy flick in the previews turned out to be a seriously fucked up romantic comedy. Dealing with adultery, anti-semitism, and drunk driving, you would not think this would be the same movie that the previews show Bill Hader suspiciously sniffing a corn dog that had been left out all night. Now, as I explained to Racket’s own Caitlin Elgin, it’s not that the movie was bad, I just felt like I was mislead and I was mentally prepared for a slapstick comedy, which is not what I got.
The Hotness: Well, Jonathan, I heart that I can unwittingly take you to a rom-com and throw you mentally off balance. Mentally un-prepared? Romantic comedies are more often than not the one kind of movie you can go into expecting nothing and totally let your brain melt into feel-good squishiness that can only come with the rain-soaked kisses in which the guy finally wins the girl over (or vice versa, it can’t always be the dude’s fault, can it?). Ok, so maybe from time to time, rom-coms have bad endings that leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth (ugh, like the un-watchable, unforgiveable 27 Dresses), but I think that can usually be determined by overtly cheesy previews. Adventureland was funnier than it was romantic, I think. Though I do feel that the main relationship of the movie was exceptionally awkward (thank you Kristen Stewart for proving again, you are hot, awkward, and brooding. OMGs!).
TE!: Now, for spoiler-alertness, stop reading if you don’t want to know what happens.
OK, so, a naïve (read: virgin) new college graduate James Brennan, played by Jesse Eisenberg, finds out that his trip to dick off in Europe is kaput, so he gets a job. I don’t think I really need to tell you where, do I? He meets a little hottie, Em Lewin, aka Kristin Stewart, who I am told was in Twilight…
TH: I probably told you that…
TE!: But last I checked I had a penis, and with no girlfriend to impress, I have not seen it. Anyway, Hottie McHottensteiner is banging a married dude while Mr. Naivety slowly falls in love with her. James finds out about Em’s bang-a-rama and makes some mistakes. Em goes off into the world, leaving James to figure out what he’s going to do with himself. There are two ways this can go, the real-life and miserable way, or the movie ending.
TH: I would actually say this is way more like a coming of age flick than a rom-com, especially because it’s more about the kid finding his place in the world- even if it’s finding his place next to a lovely young lady. Just saying. One thing the movie does spectacularly well is actually making it feel like an 80’s movie (it takes place in the 80’s) without being a bunch of clichés. The awkwardness is often coupled with multiple playings of “Rock Me Amadeus.”
TE!: Rock Me Amadeus RULES! So, while I am not trying to advocate going out and forking over $11 for a ticket, I’m not saying not to do that either. I think overall, it was OK, I’m just bitter that they injected that much seriousness into a movie that I thought to be 80% dick and fart jokes.
TH: I think maybe you realized you’re too sensitive and that’s why you’re bitter. Crybetic! And may I remind you, Yost, that 40 Year Old Virgin was also a romantic comedy. Next time, I’ll give you a week or so before taking you to the movies so you can go through the mental rigor of becoming “prepared” (which is code for watching Say Anything and crying). Go see the movie, it’s cute, and yes, at times swoony, moody, and other types of romantic, but there are some really great laughs (Bill Hader chasing punks with a baseball bat? Yes, please).
TE!: I never saw 40 Year Old Virgin, so in your face.
-Jonathan Yost and Caitlin Elgin