What an adorable little film this is. Razor-sharp too, which ironically helped it fall squarely between the cracks during that non-summer of 2009; but then, unlike the director's Superbad, the touching, semi-autobiographical Adventureland was always going to be a trickier sell. Opening with the Velvets' 'Here She Comes Now', and marinated in the spirit of Richard Linklater rather than Judd Apatow, it's unashamedly aimed at the smart kids – a crisp glass of white to Superbad's premium-strength lager.
Though set in 1987, it's also distinctly unlike the usual "I Heart the 1980s" retro-cizes: here, Falco's deathless 'Rock Me Amadeus' is the eternal, sadistic soundtrack to Eisenberg's McJob in a grungy amusement park, staffed by fellow overachieving, under-waged misfits; Martin Starr being standout as the pipe-smoking Joel – every inch 'Robert Crumb: The Wonder Years.' One more thing: switch off exactly five minutes before the credits, and this'll retain its fantastic authenticity uncorrupted.
Though set in 1987, it's also distinctly unlike the usual "I Heart the 1980s" retro-cizes: here, Falco's deathless 'Rock Me Amadeus' is the eternal, sadistic soundtrack to Eisenberg's McJob in a grungy amusement park, staffed by fellow overachieving, under-waged misfits; Martin Starr being standout as the pipe-smoking Joel – every inch 'Robert Crumb: The Wonder Years.' One more thing: switch off exactly five minutes before the credits, and this'll retain its fantastic authenticity uncorrupted.