Adventureland (2009)

In the summer of 1987, a college grad takes a 'nowhere' job at his local amusement park, only to find it's the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.

Director:

Greg Mottola

Writer:

Greg Mottola

Stars:

Jesse Eisenberg, Kelsey Ford, Kristen Stewart

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jesse Eisenberg	...	James Brennan
Kelsey Ford	...	Arlene
Michael Zegen	...	Eric
Ryan McFarland	...	Brad
Jack Gilpin	...	Mr. Brennan
Wendie Malick	...	Mrs. Brennan
Matt Bush	...	Tommy Frigo
Todd Cioppa	...	Velvet Touch Manager
Stephen Mast	...	Rich
Kristen Wiig	...	Paulette
Bill Hader	...	Bobby
Martin Starr	...	Joel
Adam Kroloff	...	Adult Contestant
Kristen Stewart	...	Em Lewin
Kevin Breznahan	...	Molly Hatchet T-Shirt Guy

Storyline

In 1987, James Brennan's dreams of a summer European tour before studying at an Ivy League school in New York City are ruined after his parents have a severe career setback. As a result, James must get a summer job to cover his upcoming expenses at the decrepit local amusement park, Adventureland, where he falls in love with a witty co-worker, Emily Lewin. In that bizarrely shady workplace, the young carnies have unforgettable and painful learning experiences about life, love and trust while James discovers what he truly values.

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Plot Keywords:

summer | amusement park | love | job | new york city | 

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Taglines:

Long hours. Low pay. High times.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language, drug use and sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 April 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Adventureland - Job d'été à éviter

Filming Locations:

Beaver, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

£210,671 (UK) (11 September 2009)

Gross:

£489,686 (UK) (18 September 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Miramax Films, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, This Is That Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The real Adventureland park is located in Farmingdale, New York on Long Island.

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Goofs

When James and Joel are driving in New York, James smiles and looks out the car window. If you look above the car, you can see an advertisement for 'Sonny with a Chance' - a Disney show which wasn't even made until 2009.

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Quotes

Tommy Frigo: James, don't get all drunk and fall asleep or anything.
James Brennan: Why not?
Tommy Frigo: Because I'll jack off on your face.

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Crazy Credits

A commercial for the Adventureland amusement park can be seen during the end credits.

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Connections

Referenced in The Rotten Tomatoes Show: Monsters vs Aliens/The Haunting in Connecticut/12 Rounds (2009)

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Soundtracks

"I Need to Know"
Written by Rodney Saulsberry and Peter Brown
Performed by Rodney Saulsberry
Courtesy of Crucial Music Corporation

User Reviews

Adventureland vs. Superbad :: No Contest

Adventureland is one of the best teenage films I have ever seen. I almost am upset by the advertising plan and budget the film had because if it was given enough commercial advertisement it would've been as successful as Superbad. Sadly this film went under the radar and wasn't given the acclaim it deserved. As a teen exploitation film, this movie accurately describes, interprets, and expresses the mind of a teenager and incredibly gives any teenage viewer a sense of closure. Because unlike Superbad, the characters in Adventureland are easy to relate to and are more vulnerable in an emotional sense. Anyone who sees this film to relax and enjoy a bit of comedy with a heartfelt story, or to reminisce about their teenage years, their first jobs or their personal time at Adventureland, or even to watch a teenage love story will get what they were looking for.