Adventureland

A witty, unassuming little dramedy set in 1987, Adventureland finds newly minted college graduate James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) taking a minimum-wage summer job at a shabby Pittsburgh amusement park, counting the minutes until he can go to New York and grad school. James, who endures mind-numbing boredom and mostly imbecilic co-workers, eventually befriends a cute girl named Em (Twilight's Kristen Stewart), who's having a clandestine affair with the park's alpha male, married repairman Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds). Hailing from a privileged background and desperately craving independence, Em develops romantic feelings for the virginal James but her emotional baggage creates obstacles. Writer-director Greg Mottola plays up the romantic triangle but doesn't let it take over the film, which wonderfully depicts the seedy but evocative milieu: rigged games, barfing kids, stoned employees, rancid corn dogs, and endless repetitions of mindless ‘80s tunes such as “Rock Me Amadeus.” Notable secondary characters include Martin Starr as Joel, an unprepossessing Russian-lit major whose romantic overtures are routinely rebuffed by his female co-workers; Margarita Levieva as the celebrated Lisa P, the resident sexpot; and SNL cast members Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig as the park's married owners. Except for a predictably pat finale, Adventureland defies teen movie conventions to become surprisingly substantive entertainment. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director Greg Mottola and costar Jesse Eisenberg, a “Just My Life” making-of featurette (17 min.), deleted scenes with optional commentary (3 min.), a song-to-scene selection option, and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are “Welcome to Adventureland” faux promo commercials (5 min.), “Frigo's Ball Taps” on how to perform a genital whack (2 min.), and “Lisa P's Guide to Style” featurette (2 min.). Bottom line: a small but solid extras package for a mostly winning comedy.] (E. Hulse)