 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Adventureland
- Review Date: April 2, 2009
- R
- Genre: Comedy
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Fairly thoughtful romcom masquerades as a raunchy indie.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is a review of the R-rated comedy that came out in theaters and not the unrated version available on DVD. From the director of Superbad, which stars Twilight's Kristen Stewart, this will definitely appeal to teens. It's not quite as raunchy as Superbad, but there's still plenty of swearing and drug use (mostly pot). You can also expect some drinking, smoking, and sex (more along the lines of heavy makeout sessions than outright nudity). Characters talk about virginity frequently and sometimes mock those who are still virgins.
What's the story?
With his dreams of backpacking in Europe -- and maybe even grad school -- quashed by his family's financial woes, James (Jesse Eisenberg), a virgin pothead, is forced to work at the Adventureland amusement park during the summer of 1987. At first, the job is mind-numbing, the bosses (Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader) inane, and the customers oddly aggressive. But soon the place starts to live up to its name. Broody co-worker Em (Kristen Stewart) catches James' eye, and Lisa P. (Margarita Levieva), the sexiest employee at the park, starts eyeing him. But Em may be preoccupied with someone else, and the life questions that James has been avoiding -- Is his father drinking? Where can he go now that he's done with college? -- are nipping at his heels.
Is it any good?
At first, ADVENTURELAND seems cut from the same cloth as director Greg Mottola's Superbad: crude, irreverent, raunchy, nerd-celebratory, and driven by male hormones. And it is all that, to a certain degree. But where Superbad had a heart hidden at its core, Adventureland wears its heart on its sleeve. For all its hipster cred (the Lou Reed- and David Bowie-peppered retro/alt rock soundtrack clues viewers in fairly quickly), Adventureland is primarily a romance. Circumstances are complex, families don't always have the answer, the best friendships can sting, and love strangely trumps most.
James, played skillfully by Eisenberg, is a lot like Say Anything's Lloyd Dobler: sweet, earnest, and not altogether together. He longs to be in love, and though that may rate him a loser in some circles, he's not one here. Unfortunately, Stewart's Em is no Diane Court. Stewart (who filmed this movie pre-Twilight) is adept and believable as her character, but in failing to add layers to her performance, she risks turning Em in to an "edgy, complex girl" stereotype. And why would James be smitten with anything typical? (Plus, their chemistry isn't exactly sizzling.) Ditto Ryan Reynolds as a married maintenance worker who seems to forget that he's supposed to be older -- and act older -- than the college kids he works with every summer. Still, there's plenty in here to enjoy. Though the film won't likely have Say Anything's staying power, it's a decent, entertaining imitator.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's messages about sex and relationships. How do the characters' attitudes about sex compare to those of other "hard-R" teen comedies? Do they seem realistic to you? Why or why not?
What do you think of James' decision to remain a virgin until he meets
the "right" woman? What does "right" mean? Why is he portrayed as being
so different from his male peers?Families can also discuss the
characters' drinking and drug use. What are the consequences in real life?
- Show:
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
April 2, 2010
AGE
Adventureland
Rated R For Language,Drug Use And Sexual References
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I love indie movies, but this one left a bad taste in my mouth. The content on all levels would be inappropriate for all but the oldest teens.
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I absolutely loved this movie. Sure, there's some drugs and sex but it's an indie 80's flick so you gotta expect it and not let your kids watch it if you don't approve. Personally, I thought it was funny, quirky, cute, all the characters were very well rounded. It made for a good time. It isn't the type of movie that I could watch over and over and over again until the end of time but I really did like it. Yes, there is bad language, they do smoke pot, they do drink (but they're not underage so where's the harm?) and they do have sex. It's not graphic, all you really get are references. I would recommend it to anyone really, unless you're just really strict with what your kids watch.
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This movie was really, really good.
I decided to watch it because of Kristen Stewart, who I love.
I was expecting a mildly funny, if slightly stupid, comedy.
This movie is so much more than I expected.
It was quite funny, and actually had some depth.
I recommend it.
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Amazing moviee and LOVE Jesse Einsberg =)
whoa! this was an AMAZING moviee hahaha.
It is not inappropriate at all. they dont show anything except for a bit of kissing. but like whats the big deal? everyone kisses =P hahha anyways this was an amazing movie and Jesse Einsberg was adorable in this movie!!!
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I actually thought Adventureland was a very good movie with a happy ending. Im fourteen and my only concerns for the movie was the alchohol consumption of underage drinkers,the many occasions where the workers were either doing weed or pot and getting extremely high,the language is very foul but isnt very constant,and the sexual behavior is a little inappropriate using many refrences to sex. But overall i thought that the message was okay although two of the main characters cheat on eachother and one is involved with a married man. I saw that Adventureland is age appropriate for teens fourteen and older.
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Non-AdventureLand.
Ok, I really thought I was going to like this movie, but I ended up barely being able to finish it. I am a big fan of the main actors in the movie, and while they did a good job the movie overall tanked. Also, there is a lot of drug use, and sex is a big part of the movie.
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Perfect for older teens but not kids.
Loved it i some might be a bit disapointed, while it is a comedy it is also a love story in decise. I enjoyed this and thought it would be a good movie for thouse who know NOT to go and follow what these actors do in the film.
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This movie is really good. There's just a lot of swearing and drug content, but the plot was cute. The characters are well developed.
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| Studio: | Miramax |
| Director: | Greg Mottola |
| Cast: | Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 107 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 3, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | August 24, 2009 |
| MPAA rating: | R |
| MPAA explanation: | language, drug use and sexual references. |
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