There was a moment in the opening of "The Promotion"—a new comedy from Steve Conrad, the writer of "The Pursuit of Happyness," that stars John C. Reilly and Seann William Scott—when I suddenly felt old. Why, you ask? Because the guy who flawlessly played Stifler the same year that I was graduating from high school looked like a real adult. And as Doug, an assistant manager at a Chicago supermarket chain who wants a managerial post at a new store so he can afford the down payment on a house with his wife (played by Jenna Fischer from The Office), he was playing a character with the concerns of a real adult, too.

And then Richard, an older dude with more backlogged experience, comes riding into the picture. A recovering addict/family man from Canada, it turns out he's also looking to score the big manager position. As these two men go head to head, allegiances are tested, confidences betrayed, and frozen tater tots are thrown. The only hard part about watching this funny film is picking sides; at first I identified more with Doug, but then there's something about watching Richard listening to personalized self help tapes on his Walkman that will break your heart.

Yes, I laughed out loud several times during this movie, but I'm recommending you check it out for another reason—the subtle sprinkling of not-so-funny moments that will resonate with every 20-something who has tried to stake out on their own and define what it means to be a successful grown-up. Well that, and an absurdly funny scene that's all about cutting the cheese.

"The Promotion" opens in theaters June 6th; join us for a special advance screening and after-party with Steve Conrad on June 3rd!

- Caroline Stanley

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