MANILA, Philippines? ?Adventureland? is being marketed as the new comedy from the director of ?Superbad,? Greg Mottola?which it is?but, don?t go into the cinema expecting more of the same raunchy, gross-out outrageousness. While ?Superbad? was produced by Judd Apatow and, as such, leans more toward his brand of comedy, this new movie is entirely Mottola?s creation.

Amusement park

Quieter, more nuanced and sweet without being too schmaltzy, the film is a classic coming-of-age story that breathes new life into old bones, with its charm, sharp wit and well-limned characters. As the title implies, its central setting is an amusement park?it is 1987, and our young, twentysomething characters are spending their summer working as carneys, while wondering what to do with the rest of their lives.

James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) is fresh out of college and raring to embark on the European tour that?s supposed to be his graduation present. His plans fall apart, however, when his dad gets demoted, and he finds himself having to look for a job. Instead of flying to Paris, James goes back home to Pittsburgh, where no one is willing to hire someone who has a major in Renaissance studies, but no job experience?except Adventureland, that is.

All told, it looks to be a summer of hell for a bright, awkward kid who dreams of being the next Charles Dickens. Things start looking up, however, when he makes the acquaintance of Em (Kristen Stewart of ?Twilight?), an NYU student who has her own reasons for working in the park. Suddenly, James? summer is filled with possibilities.

Awkward process

The movie has a predictable plot, but it doesn?t get in the way of our viewing pleasure. It?s fun watching James start to grow up and fall in love with Em?an awkward process that perfectly captures the confusion, inchoate longing and intense self-consciousness of young adulthood. The film has a very ?80s feel as a whole, and is reminiscent of the better teenage comedies of the era, when frat boy humor had not yet become the standard and character development was more important than finding new ways to gross out an audience.

Eisenberg and Stewart play off well against each other, and a cast of colorful supporting characters adds more vibrancy to the story: There?s the zany couple who run Adventureland, played with gusto by Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig; a Russian literature-loving geek (Martin Starr, who delivers some of the funniest lines), and Ryan Reynolds as the maintenance guy/frustrated musician whose sole claim to fame is that he jammed with Lou Reed. Put all of them together with the golden days of summer, throw in a subtle, well-paced script, and you?ve got a charmer of a comedy!