I enjoyed "Adventureland" but I can't say I will remember it a month from now unlike "Superbad," (both directed by Greg Mottola) which is burned in my memory forever...Here is why...
1. Jesse Eisenberg is dull - While Michael Cera and Jonah Hill create characters that are pathetic losers but in the coolest way, Eisenberg is just a loser. I don't want to be his friend, I have no interest in his dull life and I certainly don't want to spend 2 hours of my life watching him. It's a shame because he was a refreshing and memorable young actor in The Squid and the Whale but he was incredibly lifeless in this film.
2. "Superbad" was pee in your pants funny, this film...not so much. - I can still watch Superbad and find it absolutely hilarious. It's essential viewing for anyone with a sense of humor and it captures "the next generation" that no other recent film has been able to do (except maybe Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist). It's a quotable film and destined to be a cult classic. Adventureland wasn't all that funny. It had amusing parts, but was slow moving and slightly depressing.
3. A disappointing supporting cast - Kristen Stewart. UGH. Does she have more than one expression? Because I haven't seen one. She tries to be the next Evan Rachel Wood, but doesn't come close to the talent that Wood has. Ryan Reynolds is usually funny in films like Just Friends and Waiting but he lacks personality in this film. He's supposed to be a complete douche bag, yet he is the "it-guy" that every other guy looks up to, which doesn't really make much sense in reality or the film. There is also SNL's Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig who are featured heavily in the trailer, yet they are inexplicably underused in the film. The other characters can be summed up as "the guy who smokes cigars" and "the guy who punches people" because they really served no other purpose in the film. Where was McLovin?
