.: Roberts' Reviews - Movie Reviews :.

In last year's review of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, I wrote of how refreshing it was to see a teenage dramedy that portrayed young adolescents as honest, relatable people.

The hope was that the film's success would spawn many more smart young-adult type films where the stars are not subjected to sex and fart jokes while prancing around in their underwear or defiling apple pies.

Unfortunately, the trend did not seem to take. Sex Drive and Miss March's clogged up our Cines with a laugh ratio of one chuckle for every 30 exposed breasts flashed on screen.

The trailers for Adventureland did little to suggest that Nick and Norah's American Teen was in the offing. Billed as being from the director of Superbad and showing clips focusing more on the comedy rather than plot aspects, Adventureland seemed doomed to be just another addition to the DVD bargain bin alongside EuroTrip and Detroit Rock City.

It is with great elation to report that Adventureland is not only a smart and sincere portrayal of youths struggling through life before college, but it is also one of the year's best films.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg (a poor man's Michael Cera) and Kristen Stewart (before she filmed Twilight), Adventureland cleverly plots out a story that is affectionate, heartbreaking, genuine and comedic all wrapped up in a cotton candy swirl.

Jesse plays James. A virgin who gets a job at the local amusement park, Adventureland circa 1987, to assist with the monies required to go to Brown's College. Here, he meets Em. Em is mature beyond her years and is as complicated as she is beautiful. The two don't immediately have sparks, but director Greg Mottola does a remarkable job of keeping their friction smoldering until such time as a relationship can truly develop between the characters.

Adventureland is based on many of Mottola's real-life experiences and acquaintances and the use of the amusement park as a backdrop makes the story a lot more believable than say, a bunch of spoiled brats running through Saks in Beverley Hills. Everything from corn dogs to impossible to win midway games are spotlighted and each will have a relatable experience for any movie-goers that are lucky enough to experience Adventureland in a darkened theatre.

Bill Hader and Kristin Wiig as managers of the park get the biggest laughs and Ryan Reynolds plays his first big screen character that doesn't have the Van Wilder smirks in what rounds out to be one of the best casted films of the year.

Adventureland is definitely more drama that comedy. There are some dark places here and teens that go to the theatre with their dates expecting to spill the popcorn over the knee-slapping humor might be disappointed.

But anyone that can remember the late 1980's and early 1990's, anyone that can remember falling in love for the first time or anyone that can remember what it was like to have a dream but have every driving force in the universe against you, will appreciate this gem.