Critics Consensus

Critics Consensus: Fast & Furious Is Running On Empty

And Adventureland proves to be a great ride.

by Tim Ryan | April 2, 2009 | Comments

This week at the movies, we’ve got speedy cars (Fast & Furious, starring Vin Diesel and Paul Walker) and a languid summer (Adventureland, starring Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart). What do the critics have to say?

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Fast & Furious

Fast & Furious is the fourth installment of the venerable cars-going-vroom franchise, and unfortunately, critics say it’s the weakest of the lot. The principals from the first film, The Fast and the Furious — including Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, and Jordana Brewster — are back, and they pick up where they left off. Diesel plays Dom, an ex-con who’s still bitter at undercover cop Brian (Paul Walker), but soon, the pair join forces to investigate the death of a mutual associate. The pundits say this franchise is running on fumes; though Fast & Furious features some decent stunts, its groan-worthy dialogue, indifferent performances, and lack of dramatic momentum make for a pretty middling — albeit shiny — package. (Check out this week’s Total Recall, in which we compile Vin Diesel’s best-reviewed films.)

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Adventureland

Greg Mottola is building a solid rep as an astute chronicler of coming-of-age joys and pains. Hot on the heels of Superbad is Adventureland, a dramedy that critics say dishes laughs and sentiment with a deft hand. Jesse Eisenberg stars as James, a college grad who gets a job at an amusement park. With the help of Em, a cute co-worker (Kristen Stewart), his wacky bosses (Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig), and his slacker co-workers (Martin Starr, Ryan Reynolds, and others) he learns a thing or two about life. The pundits say Adventureland is bright, funny, sharply acted and deeply heartfelt; throw in a killer soundtrack, and you’ve got a Certified Fresh movie. (Also, be sure to see which movies Greg picked as his Five Favorite Films.)

Also opening this week in limited release:

Tulpan, a visually remarkable tale of unrequited love on a Kazakh steppe, is at 92 percent.
Sugar, a drama about a Dominican pitcher determined to make it to the big leagues and lift his family out of destitution, is at 90 percent.
The Iranian import The Song of Sparrows, about a runaway ostrich, is at 90 percent.
Forbidden Lie$, a documentary about the fallout from a fabricated memoir, is at 86 percent.
The Escapist, a British prison break thriller starring Brian Cox and Joseph Fiennes, is at 79 percent.
Bart Got A Room, a comedy about a nerdy high schooler seeking a prom date starring Steven Kaplan and William H. Macy, is at 69 percent.
Paris 36, a period piece about some neighborhood friends who attempt to mount a musical, is at 65 percent.
Lifelines, a dark comedy about a family whose secrets are brought to light by their therapist, is at 62 percent.
Enlighten Up!, a documentary by a devoted yoga practitioner who attempts to use the ancient art to transform her skeptical subject, is at 57 percent.
Gigantic, starring Paul Dano and Zooey Deschanel in an indie comedy about the strange relationship between two wayward twentysomethings, is at 54 percent.
Alien Trespass, an homage/parody of 1950s sci-fi flicks, is at 31 percent.