Adventureland

Adventureland had me hooked with a brief scene about twenty minutes in. Leads Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart are driving home from the amusement park where they work. She is giving him the lift and it's the first time that they have bonded. All of a sudden Stewart cranks up the car stereo and Husker Du comes on playing "Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely." And she turns the volume up. That was me in 1987, which is when Adventure land takes place.
Correct in look and music Adventureland pays homage to an era (a generation ago) that rocked out and got stoned after work without the aid of cell phones and the internet. As directed by Greg Mottola Adventureland recalls Dazed and Confused mixed with the self deprecating humor of Woody Allen films. The film's protag James (Eisenberg) acts in the manner of a nebbish. Mottola himself has played directors in Allen's Celebrity and Hollywood Ending. The link to Dazed may be tenuous but the core cast parties like it's the last day of high school even though they're about four years older and the action takes place over a summer where family traits are cemented and futures are gleamed.
James wants to travel in Europe before starting grad school but his parents (a well cast Jack Gilpin and Wendie Malick) inform him that they're downsizing, especially since dad just lost his job. This also impacts on his potential future education. James finds a short term solution by getting a summer job where fortunately a similar group of like minded misfits. There's a totally likable Stewart as Em a free spirit who quickly establishes friendship with James, along with a jock type, some other nebbish dudes, a childhood friend who lives only to punch James' nuts each time he appears on screen, and a hot babe.
Mottola also gives Ryan Reynolds his coolest role ever, the park maintenance guy, slightly older, who always carries his guitar to work. He's the kind of stud character who exists for all the other characters to emulate. It's not hard to see Ryan, Stewart and Eisenberg involved in a romantic triangle of sorts before long.
There's a tendency in coming of age films like Adventureland to concentrate on the kids to the exclusion of adults. But here the parents are thought out creatures who have their moments, bits where their traits are what we've seen mirrored in their offspring. The park managers (Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader) are used sparingly, which is good since they seem to be channeling a different, more modern and crass, sense of humor.
Adventureland tends to be predictable if you just want to know how it ends. But the atmosphere it creates becomes a timeless place where you feel comfortable just watching.