Adventureland

2009, Comedy/Drama, 1h 46m

218 Reviews 250,000+ Ratings

critics consensus

Full of humor and nostalgia, Adventureland is a sweet, insightful coming-of-age comedy that will resonate with teens and adults alike. Read critic reviews

You might also like

I Love You Phillip Morris

Rent/buy

Rent/buy

Subscription

Rent/buy

Rate And Review

Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer
Step 2 of 2

How did you buy your ticket?

Let's get your review verified.
Fandango

AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew

Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info

Cinemark Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Regal Coming Soon

We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.

Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You're almost there! Just confirm how you got your ticket.
Super Reviewer

Rate this movie

Oof, that was Rotten.

Meh, it passed the time.

It’s good – I’d recommend it.

Awesome!

So Fresh: Absolute Must See!

What did you think of the movie? (optional)
How did you buy your ticket?
- Fandango
- AMCTheatres.com or AMC AppNew
  
  Enter your Ticket Confirmation# located in your email.More Info
- Cinemark Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Regal Coming Soon
  
  We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future.
- Theater box office or somewhere else
By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.
You haven’t finished your review yet, want to submit as-is?

You can always edit your review after.
Are you sure?

Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers.
Want to submit changes to your review before closing?

Adventureland Photos

View All Photos (75)

Movie Info

It's the summer of 1987, and recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) can't wait to begin his long-anticipated dream trip to Europe. Unfortunately, James' plans come to a screeching halt when his parents announce that they are unable to subsidize his trip. Forced to take a job at the local amusement park, James prepares for the worst summer ever, until he finds love with a captivating co-worker named Em (Kristen Stewart).

Rating:

R (Language|Drug Use|Sexual References)
Genre:

Comedy, Drama, Romance
Original Language:

English
Director:

Greg Mottola
Producer:

Ted Hope, Anne Carey, Sidney Kimmel
Writer:

Greg Mottola
Release Date (Theaters):

Apr 3, 2009 wide
Release Date (Streaming):

Aug 25, 2009
Box Office (Gross USA):

$16.0M
Runtime:

1h 46m
Distributor:

Miramax Films

Cast & Crew

Jesse Eisenberg
James Brennan

Kristen Stewart
Em Lewin

Martin Starr
Joel

Kristen Wiig
Paulette

Bill Hader
Bobby

Margarita Levieva
Lisa P.

Show all Cast & Crew

News & Interviews for Adventureland

Rank Ryan Reynolds’ 10 Best Movies

28 Fresh Movies and Netflix Originals Streaming in March

Saturday Night Live Stars on the Big Screen

Critic Reviews for Adventureland

All Critics (218) | Top Critics (66) | Fresh (193) | Rotten (25)

Full Review… Jason Bailey Flavorwire

Full Review… Nell Minow Movie Mom

Full Review… Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness

Full Review… Ian Nathan Empire Magazine

Full Review… Tom Huddleston Time Out

Full Review… Toby Young Times (UK)

Full Review… Mike Massie Gone With The Twins

Full Review… Jason Best Movie Talk

Full Review… Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com

Full Review… David Harris Spectrum Culture

Full Review… Mattie Lucas The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)

Full Review… Micheal Compton Bowling Green Daily News

View All Critic Reviews (218)

Audience Reviews for Adventureland

Jul 02, 2016

Just misses being special. Nonetheless,should appeal to movie goers who don't mind their main character being nerdy dweebs trying to land their first love. For viewers over the age of 35, the film might feel like a ride into memory lane.

Aldo G Super Reviewer
Aug 08, 2014

The indie comedy Adventureland is a satirical coming-of-age film from writer/director Greg Mottola. The story follows a young college student named James Brennan who takes a job at an amusement park during the summer of 1987 in order to pay for his tuition. Featuring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, and Margarita Levieva, the cast is fairly strong and delivers some pretty good performances. The writing however, is a little weak and seems a bit unfocused, unsure of what it's trying to say. On the other hand, the soundtrack is remarkably effective at setting a tone and at providing a feel for the characters and settings. Adventureland has some interesting things to say about postmodern youth culture, but it has trouble bringing everything together in a cohesive manner.

Dann M Super Reviewer
Nov 29, 2013

A beautiful, well-written and well-filmed comedy that features impressive performances from Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart. Between the intimate cinematography to the wonderful soundtrack, Adventureland is a triumph, and a thoroughly enjoyable, honest treat.

Matthew Samuel M Super Reviewer
Oct 01, 2013

A beautiful little movie about growing up and finding your first true love. I know, aren't there about a kazillion movies about this subject. Yes there are. This one stands a little bit above the crowd.

Lanning : Super Reviewer

See All Audience reviews