Jesse Eisenberg: 5 Awesome Performances & 5 That Sucked

5 Awesome Performances

5. James Brennan - Adventureland (2009)

One of Eisenberg’s first leading performances, Adventureland pairs him brilliantly opposite Kristen Stewart to produce one of the most charming couples in any teenage coming-of-age comedy.

Even surrounded by a cast full of big names like Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig, Eisenberg’s theme park worker and part-time stoner James Brennan stands out in his plight to save up for university and helps Superbad director Greg Mottola to walk the line between his trademark crude humour and genuinely touching moments.

Of particular note is the closing scene, where Eisenberg passionately monologues about the universal need to embrace your screw-ups while standing in the rain. Plus, there's the scene where he gets an awkward erection in a swimming pool, which perfectly demonstrates the actor’s ability to flip effortlessly from being charmingly collected to racked with anxiety.