Review | Snack Shack - Future of the Force

“Snack Shack is a fun and heartfelt coming-of-age film that is also deeply moving at times. It’s a great summer hangout film that perfectly captures the 90’s aesthetic.”

Snack Shack is a coming-of-age film starring Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdalla with Nick Robinson and David Costabile. The film is now available to buy on digital and will be available to rent from June 17th.

STORY

Snack Shack is set in early 90s Nebraska. The story follows two best friends AJ (Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle) who are living their best adolescent lives. They are always looking for a way to earn some money – brewing beer, winning at the dog track … but their latest find for summer is the snack shack at the local pool. AJ and Moose are a dynamic duo that you will love. Moose always drags AJ into his ploys, giving him troubles with his parents. They are these two carefree teenagers living the moment. In that regards, this film is a pretty fun comedy. There is definitely a feel-good vibe to it. Undoubtedly, it will put a smile on your face.

Moreover, it is a heartfelt romance too. AJ falls in love with Brooke (Mika Abdalla), an army brat girl who is his neighbour. However, Moose also has feelings for her, which puts their plans and friendship in jeopardy. I am generally not a big fan of love triangles but this one is well written. It works and more importantly, it has a meaningful impact for the story and the characters. This is a sweet and youthful romance that will have you cheering for the characters. At times, this film is also deeply moving. I recommend some tissues. Yes, it will make you laugh, it will make you cheer but it will also make you cry.

From start to finish, Snack Shack perfectly captures the 90’s aesthetic with the clothing, the sets, the cars and the storytelling as well. There are story beats that makes it feel like it could have been released in the late 80’s/early 90’s. In fact, it’s halfway between a John Hughes coming-of-age film and a summer hangout film like Adventureland and The Way Way Back. It surely has all the elements of the American summer coming-of-age film with the local pool, a snack shack, a residential area. This is a scenery that creates a comforting and familiar feeling. Honestly, it is a perfect film for the summer.

CAST

Furthermore, Conor Sherry has what it takes to be a leading man, both in terms of acting skills and presence on screen. He delivers a wholehearted performance, you can only love his character! In addition, he has a lovely on-screen chemistry with Mika Abdalla and a great friendship chemistry with Gabriel LaBelle. Watching this film, it really feels like these two are genuine friends. As a big fan of Nick Robinson ever since Love, Simon, I’m always happy to see him in anything. He plays a loveable character in this one who is a friend to the leads and acts as a guide for AJ. Robinson is almost 30 now so it’s good to see him getting more roles closer to his age.

SOUNDTRACK

Finally, Keegan DeWitt has composed a beautiful score. He does great with coming-of-age soundtracks. His work on this film reminds me of what he did with Hearts Beat Loud. It’s a score that is subtle and in harmony with the scenes playing out on screen. On top of that, there are some classic songs from the 80s that are a must-have for this type of film.

VERDICT

Snack Shack is a fun and heartfelt coming-of-age film that is also deeply moving at times. It’s a great summer hangout film that perfectly captures the 90’s aesthetic. Conor Sherry has what it takes to be a leading man!