Big Picture Big Sound

The Film

Director Greg Mottola follows up 2007's Superbad with this very deep, very '80s, very sweet comedy. If you bought into all of the marketing hype, you'd think Adventureland would be a raunchy, teen sex comedy. This is one of those occurances where loose lips (and a lot of marketing dollars) could sink an otherwise fine movie.

While the film does have its share of sex, drugs and indie rock-and-roll, it's not the kooky comedy that the studio made it out to be. There are laughs, too. How can there not be? It's the story of a James (Jesse Eisenberg), a kid whose post-graduate plans get derailed and doom him to a summer job at an extremely crappy amusement park.

The jokes pretty much write themselves. Thankfully, the rest was written by Mottola, who says it's semi-autobiographical. Apparently, Mottola's summers were filled with lots of cool music, weed, and fried dough. Yes, he was a true carny. He's also a good writer (see also 1996's The Daytrippers). The movie is pretty well acted, too -- except for Ryan Reynolds. He's wasted in a part that's small and sleazy, but also kind of stiff.

Want to take a wild ride? Check out Tom Fugalli's review of the theatrical release of Adventureland.

The Picture

The theme park may look a little weathered, but Adventureland's 1.85:1 transfer does not disappoint. There are a few grainy spots and it's got an '80s feel. However, unlike actual movies from the '80s, this one has a lot of bright colors and detail, from the clown trashcans to the games to the rides. Of course, all of those things have a layer of carny funk, but that adds to the attraction. Even the rotted corn dogs have some texture to them.

The Sound

There isn't much adventure in Adventureland, but there is a pretty kick-ass indie soundtrack, which includes The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, The Velvet Underground, The Cure, Nick Lowe, INXS and repeated use of Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus." (According to the Song Selection feature, the song is used a total of four times.) There's little else, though, which is sort of disheartening. It's a new movie and it takes place (predominantly) in an amusement park. You'd think there would be more for the surrounds to play with. Still, the dialogue sounds good and there is an occasional surround sound surprise, most notably during the fireworks display.

The Extras

Think Matt Bush didn't have a lot of prep for his role? Then tune into "Frigo's Ball Taps," a two-and-a-half-minute tutorial of the various ways to punch someone in the groin. Other than that, this release offers a decent amount of extras. We aren't big fans of commentary, but Mottola and Eisenberg team up to deliver a few interesting tidbits here. There are also four funny, crappy-looking park promos under the title, "Welcome to Adventureland."

Final Thoughts

What did I do on my summer vacation? Thankfully, I watched Adventureland. While it was absolutely nothing as advertised, it was a sweet coming-of-age dramedy that's worth a peek on Blu-ray Disc.

Product Details

• Actors: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Margarita Levieva, Ryan Reynolds
• Director: Greg Mottola
• Audio/Languages: DTS-HD 5.1 (English), Dolby Digital 5.1 (French), Dolby Digital 2.0 (English)
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Region: A
• Number of Discs: 2
• Rating: R
• Studio: Miramax Films
• Blu-ray Disc Release Date: August 25, 2009
• Run Time: 107 minutes
• List Price: $44.99
• Extras:
  • Just My Life: The Making of Adventureland
  • Audio Commentary
  • Deleted Scenes
  • Frigo's Ball Taps
  • Lisa P's Guide to Style
  • Welcome to Adventureland
  • Song Selection
  • Digital Copy