Behind the Scenes of Adventureland

As you probably already know, Superbad director Greg Mottola is in post production on a film based on his own experiences at the Long Island amusement park. Adventureland is a period comedy film set in the 1980’s which follows a college graduate, played by Jesse Eisenberg, who was prepared to spend his summer in Europe but when his father is laid off, he is now stuck at home and forced to get a job at a local amusement park called Adventureland, where comedy ensures and love blossoms.

Co-starring Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig and Martin Star. I hear it’s more of a damedy than a laugh-out-loud comedy (ie more Garden State than Superbad), and has the potential to be next year’s sleeper hit ala Little Miss Sunshine/Juno. I just came across this six and a half minute WQED behind the scenes piece on the making of the film, which might be wroth checking out.

The film was originally scheduled to hit theaters in August 2008, but I’m now hearing March 2009 (again, unconfirmed). It defintiely will help that Twilight star Kristen Stewart plays the romantic lead in Mottola’s film. I hear they screened in back in March in New York City, and the crowds doidn’t take well to an “abrupt ending”.

  • I attended a screening of this film back in March in NYC. The movie was all in all enjoyable though it didn't really feel unique. Very Garden State-esque. The main character was supposed to be a college grad looking for a summer job, but it felt a little more highschool. Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig were great as the managers of the amusement park.
  • Captain Awesome
    "damedy"

    Are you serious?
  • wrighteous1
    I worked on Adventureland. It was a really fun set to be on. Everyone was really funny---but being someone who read the original script, the ending was a bit weird(not good). Though I did hear from a friend who ran into Greg recently, that they did a reshoot of the ending. So let's hope they made it better.
  • Albert Brodsky
    There's an actual Adventureland in Des Moines.
  • RLP
    I wonder if they actually filmed at the very Adventureland the director worked at. Its a real place where I grew up. I probably saw him without realizing it when I was a kid back in the 80's when he was working there. He's about 10 years older than me, but I hung out there in the second half of the 80s.
  • RLP
    ack, I should have watched the video first, lol.. wow, yeah, not really about Long Island and where I am from anymore. thats disappointing. Its about about being in Pittsburgh. oh well.
  • Christine
    I'm looking forward to this (mostly for Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, to be honest) but I get the feeling I could be a little disappointed with the outcome. I'm not really into the Garden State/Juno "indie" vibe.
  • Jon
    Wow, I hope the film is more interesting than that video. It was so dull I couldn't make it to the end. Did I miss the pay-off? Was the twist that Greg Mottola is actually a really funny guy pretending to be dull?

    I love Superbad and I love Garden State, so fingers crossed it's good. The idea sounds a bit weak.
  • cekma
    I grew up on Long Island, which is where this "Adventureland" is based on. The director worked at this place. Fun place as a kid, lots of great memories. They did not shoot there, they wanted to but it was too expensive instead they shot in Pittsburgh.
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