“Adventureland” (Standard Rating: 7 out of 10) Director: Greg Mottola Screenplay: Greg Mottola Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Kelsey Ford, Margarita Levieva Duration: 1 hr., 47 min. Rating: R (strong language, drug use, and sexual references)

What? What? A film about early-20s youth that refuses to portray the guys as air-headed balls of libidinous ego solely focused on obscenities? And men actually have, what do you call them, “feelings”? This, my friends, is a daring film.

Oh, how refreshing and rare this is. Greg Mottola, the director who brought us the admirably funny and well-made “Superbad,” now presents us with the consistently amusing romantic comedy “Adventureland,” where things unfold in an ingenious manner, naturally and organically, driven by a web of fertile little conflicts.

Clever and intelligent, this film is a worthwhile investment in contemporary filmmaking that shames the numerous schlock screenwriters pandering to the market today. You wouldn’t know that from the cheap marketing hype surrounding this film, where, according to the cynical estimation of American intelligence by the movie studios’ advertising agents, the film must deliver a certain number of cheap laughs or face failure at the box office.

This film has guts and heart. Yes, even the men. It’s just unfortunate that writer-director Mottola couldn’t resist including some crude elements. Yes, there’s drunkenness, vomiting, stoned characters, and the odd inclusion of a doofus who keeps hitting his friend in the groin. And, oh yes, there’s a fair share of risqué talk. However, what the film avoids is gratuitously offensive dialogue. The characters talk to each other… as people, not as scripted targets for cheap humor.

So it’s 1987, and here’s James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a dorky-looking yet highly intelligent recent graduate from Pittsburgh. He’s looking forward to his European trip before starting graduate school at Columbia University in New York in the fall. But, uh oh, his alcoholic father loses his job, and James’ financial plans go down the drain.

Instead of Europe, he finds himself working at Adventureland, a run-down amusement park. But there’s something positive about it, like the girl over at another concession stand. Her name is Em (Kristen Stewart), an upfront and alienated girl who shares James’ love for rock music but carries her own emotional baggage from her complicated relationship with her father and obnoxious stepmother. To make matters more complicated, she fails to mention to James that she’s involved with Mike Connell (Ryan Reynolds), the park’s mechanic and a married rock star. When James falls madly in love with Em, things become emotionally dangerous, especially when he befriends Mike and confides in him. Given that James is a virgin, the situation becomes even saltier. Unfortunately, James is the type of guy who tends to talk too much — how uncool is that? Especially when he’s discussing Em, who happens to be Mike’s girl.

Adding to the intrigue is Lisa P. (Margarita Levieva), a popular disco girl who keeps herself elusive to her many pursuers.

There seems to be some question as to why Mottola chose to set the story in 1987, other than the fact that it allows him to avoid dealing with mobile phones or expensive contemporary rock stars. He compensates for that by incorporating over 40 pop songs to enhance the action.

So, if you’re tired of youth romance comedies that dismiss genuine emotions and consider integrity as detrimental to box office success, I encourage you to give this film a try. It has the potential to pave a new path in the genre, offering a refreshing perspective that respects real feelings and embraces integrity.

Manuel Marino

Manuel Marino is a seasoned Senior Producer, Music Composer, and Artist with over a decade of experience. He specializes in branded entertainment across various mediums, including video games, films, and advertising campaigns. With 20+ years as a game music composer, Manuel has worked on numerous platforms, creating diverse orchestral soundtracks. HIRE ME