Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here, with one of my favorite finds at the SXSW Film Festival this year.

In a strange and wonderful way, I'm both a little ticked off and extremely pleased with the folks that are marketing the latest film from writer-director Greg Mottola (THE DAYTRIPPERS; SUPERBAD) entitled ADVENTURELAND. Most of you probably think this is a silly comedy about a bunch of teenagers who work at a rundown amusement park circa the 1980s, and you'd be about half right. There's a big part of me that wants you to walk into ADVENTURELAND thinking you know exactly what you're in for, so if you like surprises then walk away from this review right now. While I won't spoil any major plot points in this review, those of you who continue reading need to understand that you're going to discover that the tone and plot of this film are a lot more interesting and weighty than any of the advertising might lead you to believe. As long as you're cool with knowing that ahead of time, continue reading.

Your first clue that ADVENTURELAND has some emotional depth should have been the two young leads. James is played by Jessie Eisenberg, who has starred in such melancholy treats as THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, THE HUNTING PARTY, RODGER DODGER, and THE EDUCATION OF CHARLIE BANKS. Then we have Kristen Stewart as Em. Excluding her star-making turn in Twilight, Stewart is one of her generation's best actors, with such works as PANIC ROOM, THE CAKE EATERS, INTO THE WILD, FIERCE PEOPLE, UNDERTOW, COLD CREEK MANOR, and THE SAFETY OF OBJECTS. I remember when I first started seeing the trailer for ADVENTURELAND, my first thought was, "What the hell is Kristen Stewart doing in this goofy comedy?" But when you see the film, you understand that an actress of some measure and talent is absolutely required to capture this troubled young woman's journey though some very dark places. Stewart could not be more perfect in this role.

Not to short change Eisenberg, who slides gracefully into the role of a young man whose virginity bothers him but not enough to lose his dignity to rid himself of it (like the kids in Superbad). James is strangely confident in his ability to attract women, even if he's not quite capable of holding onto them once they grow to like him. In the film, he is befriended by two very different men--Joel, played by Martin Starr ("Freaks and Geeks," KNOCKED UP), an uber-social outcast whose very look makes him a target; and the slightly older Mike (Ryan Reynolds, who plays this role seriously, leaving his smarm in the dressing room), who offers sage advice about women to James, even as the two men pursue the same woman.

When his parents' financial stability deflates, college grad James is forced to put off his plans to spend a summer in Europe to get the worst possible job--as one of those guys in charge of those awful carnival games at the amusement park. His bosses are the husband-and-wife team of Bobby and Paulette (SNL's Bill Hader, sporting a hideous Tom Selleck mustache, and Kristen Wiig, whose character might be a tiny bit brain damaged). Hader and Wiig provide the film's funniest moments, and they are much needed at times as the film digs deeper into Em's upbringing and her current romantic situation. It's clear that she truly likes James, and just being around her brings James out of his shell enough that other women who work at the part start to notice him, including the voluptuous Lisa P (Margarita Levieva). In the perfect world, these two would hook up for the summer and possibly get serious enough to stay together beyond the carney life. But how many of us can say that our early 20s love lives went according to plan?

James plies Em with perfect mix tapes featuring dark and intellectually stimulating works from Lou Reed, The Replacements, Alex Chilton and Husker Du, as if to counter the inane '80s pop music played nonstop and on constant rotation at the park. You may actually make Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus" the theme song to your next killing spree. Mottola beautifully recreates the conflicting sonic landscapes of the 1980s better than anyone else in recent memory. And his nearly wall-to-wall use of music reminded me of an ‘80s version of AMERICAN GRAFFITI or DAZED AND CONFUSED.

But where the film really scores points are in its dark corners. Although many may attempt to compare ADVENTURELAND to the films of John Hughes, that's not what I saw at all. What came to mind for me was FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH, written by Cameron Crowe and another prime example of bait-and-switch advertising. People walked into that movie expecting "Hey, dude, let's party" and topless Phoebe Cates, both of which they got, but they also got tales of bad sex and abortions. And it's these portions of the plot that elevated the film to its legendary heights. Now, there are no abortions in Mottola's film, but that doesn't mean that some really cruel and unusual stuff doesn't happen between the cock-punching gags and Hader's psychotic, bat-wielding moment of glorious insanity as he chases off patrons intent on beating the spit out of James. And it's in these quiet but powerful sequences where Eisenberg and Stewart truly show what they can accomplish.

The day that Greg Mottola fails to surprise me will be a disappointing day for me indeed. Even in SUPERBAD, there are moments of incredible sweetness that I was not expecting, but ADVENTURELAND goes beyond the occasional moment and gives over large potions of the movie to these tough and tender scenes. This is a film that defied all of my expectations, still delivers loads of laughs, but inserts great moments of humanity and soul that make is something really special. You are going to love this movie.

-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com