'Adventureland' packs fun, with predictable ups, downs
Caity Cudworth
Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Entertainment
Predictable ups and downs ensue from there. An amusement park is wonderful and obscenely awful at the same time, and in a lot of ways, it makes a perfect backdrop for a coming of age story.
Notably, "Adventureland's" director Greg Motolla is one of the minds behind "Superbad," but if you go into this expecting a warped "Superbad" sequel set at a theme park, well… you'll probably be bummed you fronted $10.75 for a ticket.
"Adventureland" isn't as knockout funny as "Superbad," but then, it doesn't really have to be. It moves a bit slower and the gags don't have the same bawdy punch. In some ways, the characters are more elegantly realized and more firmly rooted in the weird world they inhabit.
"Adventureland" is funny in its own right. It's an odd marriage of offbeat humor and
It's the kind of movie that you'll forgive for its flaws. Like an untrained puppy that chews your shoes and pees on the rug - you can't help but look past its shortcomings because at the end of the day it's cute and entertaining, and it makes you happy.
"Adventureland" will make you nostalgic for your summer job (even if you don't get paid to dupe small children into losing their parents' money), summer romance, and, maybe even a corndog. Buy the ticket, take the ride - "Adventureland" is worth it.
Notably, "Adventureland's" director Greg Motolla is one of the minds behind "Superbad," but if you go into this expecting a warped "Superbad" sequel set at a theme park, well… you'll probably be bummed you fronted $10.75 for a ticket.
"Adventureland" isn't as knockout funny as "Superbad," but then, it doesn't really have to be. It moves a bit slower and the gags don't have the same bawdy punch. In some ways, the characters are more elegantly realized and more firmly rooted in the weird world they inhabit.
"Adventureland" is funny in its own right. It's an odd marriage of offbeat humor and
It's the kind of movie that you'll forgive for its flaws. Like an untrained puppy that chews your shoes and pees on the rug - you can't help but look past its shortcomings because at the end of the day it's cute and entertaining, and it makes you happy.
"Adventureland" will make you nostalgic for your summer job (even if you don't get paid to dupe small children into losing their parents' money), summer romance, and, maybe even a corndog. Buy the ticket, take the ride - "Adventureland" is worth it.
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