Adventureland - The Movie

**Leo C** · #1 03-03-2009, 07:43 PM

I heard about a movie being shot at Kennywood the last year or so but I didn't think it would be something more serious than a horribly made horror movie of some sort. To my surprise on the 'Space I saw a movie ad with the name Adventureland. It's about a guy in 1987 that recently graduated college and had hoped to go on a dream European trip to have that hope dashed. He gets a lowly job at a local amusement park and has the summer of his life. Just watching the trailer the park screams Kennywood with the first drop of Phantom's Revenge. In the beginning there we catch a shot of Jack Rabbit and the lagoon with the skycoaster? The intended park for the movie would have been the real Adventureland on Long Island, NY but the director or writer found the park changed too much since the 80's. "From the Producers of Superbad" so we know where this film is going. It stars Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds. March 27th.

**Ryan F** · #2 03-03-2009, 08:45 PM

I can't wait to see this.
Having used to work at a park, it will be cool to see what kind of angle they take on what working at a park is really like.
My friends and I always used to joke about a movie based off of our theme park employee lives would be some kind of soap opera-political-romance-comedy.

**Leo C** · #3 03-03-2009, 10:22 PM

I've heard a version from a friend that use to work at Dorney. My summer at SFGADV was interesting too. I just wish I lived closer than 40 minutes/25 miles away, which is still close for a draw of a theme park market. It would have been better for a date.

This has to be easy for Ryan Reynolds. I thought he was in a movie about a restaurant that I never watched. Dane Cook did his movie with Jessica Simpson about a Warehouse Club. 40 Year Old Virgin, what profession is next? The library?

89magnumxl200 · #4 03-04-2009, 08:48 AM

I've never worked at a park, but this still looks awesome. I can't wait.

**Leo C** · #5 03-04-2009, 08:19 PM

If the Steel Phantom was still around that would bring the film just a lil closer to 1987. I figure an Arrow loop, corkscrew would better feed an 80's feel. Laser - Schwarzkopf, oh man would be great in that film.

**Ryan F** · #6 04-07-2009, 03:29 PM

Ok, I haven't seen the movie yet (hopefully tomorrow), but I have read a few reviews of the movie.
Critics are loving it.
Coaster enthusiasts; not so much.

Enthusiasts are saying that there's not enough Kennywood in the movie and that's what they are paying to see.

Quote:

What we got was a flimsy love story between two fairly uninteresting folks who just happen to work at an amusement park. You knew they were moody and misunderstood kids by the way they rolled their eyes whenever their dysfunctional parents spoke up. This is not the film I came to see. I wanted more Kennywood (where the film was shot), and less… angst.

All I have to say to that is: seriously? The movie is not about Kennywood, or Adventureland, it's about a crappy summer job the protagonist takes to make some money, and ends up falling for a female employee and making some friends. From that stand-point alone, the movie perfectly portrays employee life at a theme park.

Quote:

But don’t go see it if you’re expecting to see cool amusement park action.

The only people going to see the movie for "cool amusement park action' are enthusiasts, and hopefully only a small percentage of enthusiasts. I would like to believe that most are smart enough to realize this isn't an amusement park movie.

Once I see the movie, I'll post my own review, but for now, all I can do is laugh and roll my eyes at these blinded fools who think that the only reason this movie was made was to show off Kennywood/Adventureland.

/end rant.

89magnumxl200 · #7 04-07-2009, 04:53 PM

Saying that you saw Adventureland for the "cool amusement park action", is like saying you watched Lord of The Rings because you're interested in New Zealand. People are idiots.

**Leo C** · #8 04-07-2009, 11:34 PM

I'm going to see Adventureland but I'm not expecting to see them play and carry a conversation on Racer. I know that would be an enthusiasts dream for the movie. I worked at Great Adventure before so the conversation/relationship side is enough to relate to for me.

Ta2KX · #9 04-13-2009, 11:41 PM

I saw this expecting it to be "from the makers of Superbad" as it claims, but this isn't quite that kind of comedy, what with certain red stains on someone's pant leg after a dance. It's a bit artsy, it has to be if they are featuring it at the State Theatre in downtown Ann Arbor. I liked it though, it portrays some of the intense drama that happens between park workers. More than a few of people I've known came to work at places like Cedar Point because there was no better alternative, sometimes just to get away from wherever they're from, and obviously not all park employees are enthusiasts. That's why Kennywood isn't so eloquently portrayed in the movie. Trust me, even CP becomes "that hell hole" after a while, and what keeps you going are the good friends you find there who will relate and 'suffer' with you. They portrayed management quite accurately, I can't even tell you how many times our zone sup. had to get the bat.

**Ryan F** · #10 04-14-2009, 06:06 PM

I just got back from seeing the movie with a friend that used to work with me at Canada's Wonderland.
We couldn't agree more that the movie got theme park employee life pretty much down to every detail; the crappy guests, the crappy pay, the crappy hours, and the good friends.
We were pretty much able to relate at least one person we knew from the park to a character in the movie.
Plus, there were some pretty good laughs throughout the movie.
5/5

**Wes** · #11 04-14-2009, 11:18 PM

I saw this on Friday and for some reason I had no idea it was Kennywood they used in the movie (until the movie started)! I knew it was set in a park, but figured it would be like a lot of them where they show some random coaster you have no idea where it is, then the rest is on a sound stage.

This movie worked for me on so many levels:

#1- It was set in 1987...OK get ready to start the jokes, but 1987 was my freshman year in high school. They got so much right about the fashions and music of the day, it was pretty scary. I loved the scene in the bumper cars with The Cure blasting away. The girls jeans really were so dead on, I had forgotten I guess how much jean fashions have really changed in 20 years. Anyway, that's weird but it's true. At first I thought the lead's hair was totally wrong for the 80s, but then I remember Buddy on Charles In Charge, and he had that same awful hair!

#2- I just visited Kennywood in 2007 and its still very fresh in my mind, so I was so excited to see Phantom's Revenge, Jack Rabbit and Thunderbolt up on the big screen. Katie still lived close to the park at that time, and she walked me around the park telling me about the place and also introduced me to Mary Lou, the PR manager for the park (I think that's right) anyway, Mary Lou is in the credits! I don't think I've ever actually met anyone that was in the credits of a movie, well you know a real person, not a movie star.

#3- The movie was such a cute love story. The girl was so cute and believable as someone I would be interested in, if I were in his shoes as well. You know, the girl next door... not Lisa P (you'll have to see the movie if you don't know who she is). I liked the fact that she was flawed, as we all are. And he loved her anyway.

#4- Ryan Reynolds character was so believable to me as well. I knew a few despicable guys back in school that were like that. They were a man's man, and a jerk and somehow the ladies still seemed to love him.

It kind of reminds me as a film of Dazed And Confused, which is also another good movie about that time in your life, and also involves a good bit of drugs as well. Which I'm not condoning, I'm just saying.

Michael C · #12 04-18-2009, 11:01 PM

I did not walk away from the coaster very happy. The 2 friends I went with absolutely hated the movie and I didn't hear the end of it for hours. But the movie was not what any of us had expected form teh adds. we were expecting a comedy and to laugh. I found myself chuckling occasionally but no real laughter.

I did want to see more of the park. Mostly because the movie seemed to fall of a bit every time they left the park. The party scene wasn't bad but Razmataz was a wast of time.

The love story was a pleasant surprise and a nice part of the story the friendship was also a nice thing to watch. but the characters were flat. the main 2 were the only well rounded characters. everyone else seemed a bit cliche.

The music and small 80's bits were fun to watch. there seemed to be a lot of missed opportunity with jokes and even music. Not one reference to the Safety Dance.

i would say skip this when it comes to the theaters. Rent it and see it with a group.

**Wes** · #13 04-19-2009, 11:01 AM

Yes, they totally mislead you in the ads to think it's gonna be another Superbad. But I liked it, like I said.

Plus I watch At The Movies every week, which should be about to record on my Tivo at home... and they did a good job of warning us of the difference and what to expect.

***Steven*** · #14 04-19-2009, 04:28 PM

You know why enthusiasts really hate it? They know what they're missing out on, and that's over and above how the movie isn't about the park itself. I can relate to it though since I was a former park employee myself, and watched a lot of the inter-employee drama unfold. I learned a lot from that experience, especially what it means to like thrill rides.

It actually reminded me a little of the movie "Waiting..." which also had Ryan Reynolds.

**Leo C** · #15 09-05-2009, 09:29 PM

Finally I saw Adventureland and I liked it. I rented it. Phantom's Revenge was only in the movie twice but that was ok. The main character I could relate to, being on his own trek, not in on everything at first but slowly but surely get through it all. A curly hair girl did find me at the Musik Express before. The soundtrack I liked. I would watch the movie again.

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