Adventureland Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Adventureland Blu-ray Movie Review

While it wasn't what I was expecting, that's not necessarily a bad thing...

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown August 21, 2009

Comedy connoisseurs be warned: despite the tone of its terribly misleading theatrical trailers, despite the duplicitous advertising campaign surrounding the film, Adventureland is not Superbad. More Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist than director Greg Mottola's crass 2007 teen hit, more Wes Anderson than Judd Apatow, more Juno than American Pie, and far more Igby Goes Down than Sex Drive, Adventureland exchanges rampant vulgarity for nuanced humor and coarse comedy caricatures for believable characters. Suffice to say, it isn't a traditional R-rated comedy at all. Whether or not that's a good thing will come down to personal preference, but I found it to be a refreshing change of pace; a coming-of-age romantic dramedy awkwardly stumbling about a genre that typically thrives on gross-out gags and predictable sexual shenanigans. Where others are contrived and forceful, Adventureland is resourceful and genteel; where others are sophomoric and derivative, Mottola's autobiographical comedy is honest and creative. It may not be Superbad, but it is a wholly unexpected surprise.

Games, games, games, games...

Ah, 1987. The Iran-Contra scandal was coming to light, The Joshua Tree was taking the music industry by storm, The Simpsons were making their debut on The Tracy Ullman Show, and Axel Rose was being formerly introduced to America at large. But for comparative lit major James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), 1987 becomes a transformative year in his young life. After his parents (Jack Gilpin and Wendie Malick) are hit with a major pay cut, forced to abandon their upper-class life in the wealthy suburbs, and return to their quaint hometown, James is left with little choice but to take a summer job at Adventureland, a shady amusement park owned and operated by a penny-pinching married couple (Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader). Making the best of a disappointing situation, he reluctantly reconnects with old friends like Tommy Frigo (Matt Bush), a crotch-tapping pest; finds a mentor in the park's maintenance man, Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds), a smooth-talking musician and rather manipulative sage; makes new friends like Joel (Martin Starr), a lovelorn thinker pining for greater things; meets the park's resident object of desire, Lisa P (Margarita Levieva), a somewhat shallow fashionista who takes a peculiar interest in James; and falls in love with fellow Games employee Em (Kristen Stewart), a sweet young realist with a problematic past and a sordid secret.

Sorry to restate what's hopefully become obvious by now, but Adventureland doesn't follow the formula established by most teen comedies of late. Its character interactions rely as much on uncomfortable silences as sharp dialogue, and its plot prioritizes character development and delicate conflict as readily as dry humor and genuine emotions. From James' first failed declaration of love to a girl (Kelsey Ford) who disappears entirely from his life, to his vulnerable confrontations with Em, Eisenberg proves Michael Cera isn't the only young Hollywood talent who can deliver memorably unpolished protagonists. He (or perhaps Mottola, since he wrote and directed the film) allows his character to dwell in the many heartaches and heartbreaks of the summer rather than react to them; he trips over his words and fumbles his feelings at every turn, leaving little doubt that we're being offered a glimpse into Eisenberg the actor and Mottola the man as much as Brennan the bumbling, college-aged academic. The rest of the cast follows suit -- even Hader and Wiig, serving up the only two performances that come close to dipping in purer comedic waters -- breaking scenes down to their mundane roots and pillaging the reality of each situation for any drama or laughs that come to light.

The lone weak link in the cast is Stewart. Don't worry Bella enthusiasts, I'm not about to criticize Stewart's glassy Twilight gazes or her commitment to her craft. In fact, the biggest problem with her performance isn't her fault at all: Mottola neglected to supply her character with an adequate arc, leaving the logic behind Em's emotionally fatal flaws to his audience's imagination. Sure, we're offered a few telling scenes with her father (Josh Pais) and self-absorbed stepmother (Mary Birdsong), as well as details about her reaction to her biological mother's death, but Mottola never connects the dots between the tragedies of her past and the mistakes of her present. Em is simultaneously presented as James' unwitting savior, a fallen angel, and the source of his greatest pain, yet Mottola forgets to flesh out the turmoil behind her strained eyes and the reasoning behind her dances with a married devil. Thankfully, Stewart fills the role of hesitant lover well, and the character, no matter how underdeveloped she is, serves her specific function in the overall story... which is primarily James' tale anyway.

Unfortunately, the script itself is a bit of a letdown too. Three love triangles (possibly four, depending on how you interpret Joel's feelings for Em) muddle the progress of what could have been a more direct story; James would have been a more effective character if he were just out of high-school (instead of a college graduate); and mildly clichéd characters like Lisa P feel like an extension of Mottola's nostalgic memories rather than a cohesive part of James' life. Moreover, while setting the film in the '80s was a definite masterstroke, Mottola tends to pick and choose his period poison, dabbling in the fashion and trends of the day, but rarely submersing the film in them entirely. Em is more of a mid-90s construct than a child of the '80s, the dialogue is far more 21st century than 20th century (a small distinction, I know, but one that I noted quite often), and the lead actors' wardrobe is a mix of clothing from the last three decades. It isn't a debilitating issue, and certainly won't bother anyone who isn't haunted by vivid memories of the neon-infused era, but it's nevertheless a distraction.

I do wish Adventureland's trailers and advertising campaign sold the film for what it is. If nothing else, I wouldn't have had to spend twenty minutes of the first act adjusting to its tone. It's a shame that fans of Superbad and its ilk will be inherently disappointed with the results, simply because Mottola's romantic drama doesn't align with their preconceived expectations. While I'm sure the trailers and ads will increase the film's exposure and appeal, I don't think either are necessarily a good thing if they attract an audience that's predisposed to despise the film at hand. Regardless, if you're anything like me -- a guy who would rather watch Rushmore sixteen times in a row than endure another five minutes of Superbad -- Adventureland will be a welcome treat; a heartfelt comedy of subtle errors that relishes the opportunity to dissect the perils of young love and the pain of dejection. I, for one, was fairly pleased with the film's true nature and relieved I didn't have to sit through yet another gwa-ha-ha-he-said-dick teen comedy. I suspect anyone who adjusts their expectations accordingly will enjoy the experience as well.

Adventureland Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Adventureland features what will surely become one of the more divisive 1080p/AVC-encoded transfers of the year. Grain is thick and persistent, noise undermines the integrity of nearly every nighttime scene, mild crushing affects the darkest portions of the image, and errant print specks pop up throughout the film. However, given its period setting and Mottola's visual aesthetic, it would be a bit impulsive to assume the transfer doesn't represent the director's every intention. Detail wavers here and there, but often delivers the sort of crisp textures and natural edges I expect from a high-quality high definition presentation. And while the aforementioned grain takes its toll on a variety of shots, others are relatively strong. Likewise, colors are washed out and contrast is occasionally a tad hot, but both suit Mottola's vision. More to the point, artifacting, aliasing, banding, noise reduction, and other digital anomalies are nowhere to be found; a fact that supports the notion that Disney's technical efforts are sound.

Alas, it's difficult to tell where Mottola's intentions end and where the studio's technical transfer begins. Ah well. Adventureland may not boast a transfer that's primed to impress your friends and neighbors, but it does look significantly better than its DVD counterpart, handles everything its filmmakers toss its way, and enhances the overall tone of the film itself. A trio of traits most purists would call a transfer trifecta.

Adventureland Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Adventureland may be an atypical comedy, but its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is all too conventional. Quiet conversations dominate the proceedings, chaining the majority of the soundscape to the center channel and creating an undeniably front-heavy experience. Dialogue is clean and well prioritized, and the rear speakers serve up an assortment of subdued ambient effects -- roller coaster cars plummet in the distance, riders scream with glee, and chatty crowds casually make their way from speaker to speaker -- but the mix lacks power, immersion, and presence anytime the cameras wander away from the amusement park. It doesn't help that LFE output is underwhelming and underutilized, directionality is slightly uninvolving, and dynamics are a bit too dull.

The track's saving grace is its treatment of the film's staggeringly vast period soundtrack. The soundstage springs to life every time an '80s classic blazes into the arena: bass beats pound the floor, treble tones are clear and stable, and guitar riffs soar. It's just unfortunate that, the moment the music begins to fade, everything returns to business as usual. Sigh... such is the nature of the film's limited sound design. All things considered, audiophiles will be slightly disappointed with Disney's DTS-HD MA track, but fans of Adventureland's sonically challenged genre won't be fazed.

Adventureland Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The Blu-ray edition of Adventureland includes all of the supplemental content that appears on the standard DVD, a variety of exclusive features, and a Digital Copy disc for your portable viewing pleasure. There isn't much to be had aside from an engaging audio commentary, but it's a decent package nonetheless.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/director Greg Mottola and actor Jesse Eisenberg deliver a breezy, low-key commentary that's often funnier than the film itself. Deadpan humor and sarcasm abound, but the two share plenty of production details, on-set anecdotes, and information about the film's tone, music, and casting. I laughed quite a bit, and plowed through the entire track without glancing at my watch once.
• Just My Life (SD, 17 minutes): This clip-heavy behind-the-scenes featurette explores the genesis of the project, Mottola's use of real life experience in his screenplay, and the actors' contributions to the film.
• Welcome to Adventureland (SD, 5 minutes): Four incredibly amusing VHS-quality commercials, promos, and employ orientation videos for Adventureland.
• Frigo's Ball Taps (HD, 3 minutes): A tiresome look at the many methods someone can employ to deliver a crushing blow to another soul's manhood.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 2 minutes): Next up are three aimless deleted scenes aptly titled "Drunk Mom in Office," "Angry Grandfather," and "James Keeps Quiet." Optional commentary bits with Mottola and Eisenberg are available as well, but the director does little more than state the obvious.
• Lisa P's Guide to Style (HD, 2 minutes): Actress Margarita Levieva helms this in-character overview of '80s fashion. It's terribly annoying and offers little to the proceedings... other than a solid reason to eject the disc.
• Song Selection: With this easy to use menu, music fans can hop to specific scenes that feature their favorite '80s songs.
• Digital Copy Disc

Adventureland Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It may not remotely resemble the film advertised in its theatrical trailers, or the Superbadian comedy being marketed to gross-out fiends the world over, but Adventureland is a solid slice-of-comedic-life dramedy that deserves some attention. Sadly, the Blu-ray edition isn't going to garner much praise. After all, a noisy, divisive video transfer, a passable DTS-HD Master Audio track, and a mediocre supplemental package aren't exactly the sort of things that will move copies of Adventureland off retail shelves. However, anyone who appreciates Mottola's coming-of-late-age tale for what it is will probably be just as forgiving of the disc's shortcomings. Give it a rent, give it a spin, give it a chance... you might be pleasantly surprised.