Life and career

Mottola grew up in Dix Hills, New York, in a Catholic family of Irish and Italian descent. He received his BFA in art from Carnegie Mellon University and MFA in film from Columbia University.

Mottola directed Adventureland, set in the 1980s, a "first love" story about a group of college-age kids working at an amusement park. The protagonist's plans go awry when circumstances cause him to miss out on a backpacking trip to Europe with his friends. It premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and received critical praise.

Mottola's 2011 science fiction/comedy film Paul is about two comic book nerds (played by the film's screenwriters Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) who meet an alien named Paul while vacationing in the US.

As of 2011 Mottola is writing a screenplay based on Leanne Shapton's Important Artifacts and Personal Property From the Collection of Lenore Doolan and Harold Morris, Including Books, Street Fashion and Jewelry, to be produced by Natalie Portman and Plan B Entertainment.

Mottola is married to Sarah Allentuch and has three children.

Filmography

Film (as director)

Year	Title	Notes
1989	Swingin' in the Painter's Room	Short film
1996	The Daytrippers	Also screenwriter
2007	Superbad
2009	Adventureland	Also screenwriter
2011	Paul
2013	Clear History	Television film
2016	Keeping Up with the Joneses

Television

Year	Show	Episode	Notes
2001	Undeclared	"Addicts"
		"Sick in the Head"
		"Eric Visits Again"
2002		"Jobs, Jobs, Jobs"
		"Truth or Dare"
		"The Perfect Date"
2003	The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke	"Pilot"	Unaired television pilot
	Arrested Development	"Charity Drive"
		"Visiting Ours"
2004		"Storming the Castle"
	Cracking Up	"Scared Straight
2005	The Comeback	"Valerie Demands Dignity"
		"Valerie Saves the Show"
2012	The Newsroom	"We Just Decided To"
		"The 112th Congress"
		"The Greater Fool"

[ Source: Wikipedia ]