Most surprising was Ryan Reynolds as the park stud Mike Connell — a guy who seems like the coolest guy in the film, until you realize that anyone that age still working in such a dead end environment and doing the things he does is actually a loser. Reynolds is able to hint at that disparity beneath his confident air, giving his character a level of self-awareness not typically attributed to his type. In most similar films, Connell would be the villain of the film that our hero James finally puts in his place. In Adventureland, there are no villains: just people who do some shitty things, and the emotional consequences of their actions.
So while it's bad news for people looking for the next Superbad, I wholeheartedly recommend Adventureland to those looking for a coming of age comedy that trades belly laughs for truer emotions. It's a great, warm little film about the best worst job you've ever had, the endless summer we all wish we had, and the awkward phase when your problems were largely small, but felt like the world. It's a past I enjoyed visiting for a couple hours, and I suspect I will revisit again through several future viewings.
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