If you are a regular reader of this column, you know by now that I typically love all things Pittsburgh.
I grew up in the suburbs and have been gone for more than 30 years now. However, when it comes to the “Burgh,” I try to maintain my status of being an expert about the city.
While scrolling through movie choices the other night, I remembered that the 2009 film “Adventureland” was shot in and around Pittsburgh, with a lot of scenes taking place at Kennywood Park. Having never seen the film, I decided to give it a whirl. I assume the filmmakers didn’t want to — or couldn’t — use Kennywood, so they put up a makeshift marquee outside the venue and dubbed it “Adventureland.” Anyway, if you’ve ever been to Kennywood Park, you’ll see some familiar scenery in “Adventureland.”
“Adventureland” centers around James (Jesse Eisenberg), who is all set to move to New York City. That is, until his father loses his job. Stuck in Pittsburgh for the summer, James begins looking for a summer job and winds up taking a gig at Adventureland, which is portrayed as a shabby Pittsburgh amusement park. (Trust me, Kennywood isn’t that bad).
At Adventureland, James sees that the emperor has no clothes. All of the rides look like they are put together with secondhand parts, all of the games are rigged and all of the prizes look like junk. James is assigned to games, where his job is to encourage customers to throw baseballs at targets that are glued down. Most are simply trying to win a Big Ass Panda. James quickly learns from a co-worker that “nobody ever wins a Big Ass Panda.”
The film moves along at a nice pace and even though it’s directed by Greg Mottola, who directed the raunchy teen comedy “Superbad,” this one is a sugar-coated version. Sure, there are drugs, misfits and drunks, but it’s not nearly as chaotic as “Superbad,” which isn’t a bad thing. The film is set in the late 1980s, and from what I can recall, Mottola nails it.
Most of the film takes place in Adventureland, where James is surrounded by a cast of misfits. While most of James’ co-workers lust after Lisa P. (Margarita Levieva), he connects with Em (Kristen Stewart). Tommy (Matt Bush) and Joel (Martin Starr) are his friends and confidants. As for the adults running the show, Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds) is a married maintenance man who dabbles with the park help, including Em. Bobby (Bill Hader) and Paulette (Kristen Wiig) manage the park and provide some comic relief.
One of the things that makes “Adventureland” work is the fact that most of us can relate. We’ve all had that crappy summer job.
For me, it was working in a now-defunct Pittsburgh grocery store called Amarraca. Amarraca fancied itself as an upscale grocery store. All the workers wore khakis, white shirts and blue aprons. I can still recall getting yelled at for only bagging groceries for the pretty cashiers or taking home too many “damaged” baked goods. But, hey, we were a bunch of 16- and 17-year-olds working for minimum wage … what did management expect? Sounds like a good movie, doesn’t it?
I’m not sure why I never watched “Adventureland” before now. It’s a quirky film with a quality cast that provides some genuine belly laughs. Eisenberg and Stewart have genuine chemistry and it’s fun to watch them navigate the summer of 1987 while stuck in Adventureland. Personally, I would have just used Kennywood, but that’s just me. They could have made James sell Potato Patch fries or dress like Kenny Kangaroo.
All things considered, “Adventureland” is worth your time. It’s a fun ride from start to finish, a roller coaster of sorts.
“Adventureland” is rated R for drug use, adult themes, adult language and sexual situations. It is available on Max, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play and VUDU.
