Blu-Ray Review: Adventureland

From Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Adventureland: Blu-ray and Digital

Ever have a lame summer job at a really bad amusement park? Pittsburgh native James (Jesse Eisenberg) dreams of a summer in Europe to gain worldly experience after college. When the money for the trip falls through, he is forced to take a job at Adventureland, a run-down theme park with barely safe rides. Running the place is wacky couple Bobby (Bill Hader) and wife Paulette (Kristen Wiig). James is attracted to hottie Margarita Levieva and parties and hangs out with loser/cynic Martin Starr. He falls for rebellious park employee loner Em (Twilight's Kristen Stewart) but she's hung up on user/playboy older but hot park ride employee/handyman Ryan Reynolds who actually gives James advice on girls. Will James get through the summer? Will he ever hook up with Em?

Special Features: The Blu-Ray cover says "Unrated Bonus Features" but this is nothing that would be more than an "R" at the most. The "Feature Commentary" with writer/director Greg Mottola and lead actor Jesse Eisenberg has the guys joking and cutting up a lot without imparting much info but they finally get into the creation of the movie and story and come up with some great insider stuff. Jesse asks Greg questions on making a film that is pretty much just about his own teen experiences. Overall, very worth a listen.

"Picture Music Selection" is just that, the often cool tunes from the film, 30 of them can be selected separately. I liked this a lot. "Just My Life: The Making of 'Adventureland" is the basic how they did it feature but there is a lot of humor especially from Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig and you have on-set interviews and some behind-the-scenes footage. Not bad as these things go. "Deleted Scenes" is really short. Just some jokes in Bobby and Paulette's office and a drunk woman taking over the intercom. There is an exchange between Ryan Reynolds' character and Jesse's. There is optional commentary for these little scenes as well.

"Frigo's Taps" is super gross/silly as actor Matt Bush wanders around set in a Jackass style expose of many ways to whack someone in the nuts. Okay, it's kinda funny but unnecessary.

"Lisa P's Guide to Style" has actress Margarita Levieva talking about what's hot and not in '80's fashions. Silly but kinda cute.

"Welcome to Adventureland" pretends the place is real and you are a new employee. You get fake commercials for the park, a training video, drug policy statements. Again, not great but kinda cute.

Wrapping Up: Unlike Superbad by the same director, Adventureland is not a raunchy "get some" movie but much more real and full of teen or 20-something angst and relationships you can actually believe. There's heartbreak and a little triumph as well as humor. Kristen Stewart shines in her role and I liked Ryan Reynolds as the guilty playboy she's hot for and Jesse as his usual soft-spoken, brainy self.. but it works here. The music is fun as well. If you've ever had a crappy summer job or fallen for a fellow worker, you can i.d. with this movie even though it's set in the '80s. The extras are short but certainly enough for me to recommend a rental or a buy, especially if you are a Kristen Stewart fan.