The ‘Slacker Life’ Genre

There’s a certain type of movie that I absolutely love. I call them ‘Slacker Life’ films. A subgenre of the stoner comedy, that is often overlooked by, well, basically everyone. Here’s the formula: average, suburban location or job plus deadbeat characters divided by one day. End result, ‘Slacker life’ film. If this isn’t making any sense to you yet, let me cite some examples, Clerks, Waiting, Mallrats, Superbad. Got it, yet?

Anyway, with this ultimate genre in mind, I present to you the trailer for Greg Mottola’s (Superbad) new film Adventureland.

Deadbeat characters? Check. Looks like this thing is crawling with them. Whoever cast Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig together is a genius. And just the presence of Ryan Reynolds solidifies its ‘slacker’ status.

One day? Not too sure based on the trailer. It seems like it’s over the course of one summer. So it doesn’t follow the rules exactly, but genres have to grow and change in order to remain interesting. A summer, a day, what’s the difference?

Finally, the average suburban location or job. It’s got both! Being from Long Island I spent many a summer day at the actual Adventureland in Farmingdale. I worked in a similar awful job at a movie theater down the street. Because of this, I feel a strange connection to this film and its subject matter, and I haven’t even seen it yet. Long Island is the suburban capital of the world, Adventureland is the shittiest little amusement park. As far as the ‘slacker life’ genre goes, Mottola hit it on the nose with choosing this place as his setting.

Whether the movie will be any good is yet to be seen. But for the sake of the genre, I hope it is. Chances are I’ll like it no matter what, and will end up buying the poster or DVD.

~Alex Rabinowitz