Snack Shack

Set in the summer of 1991, Snack Shack follows AJ (Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle), two teenage best friends constantly looking for opportunities to make money, from betting on dog racing to brewing beer. After these attempts at getting rich are thwarted by their parents, the duo set their sights on the titular snack shack by a community pool, and after spending way too much money to win the council bid for the shack, the pressure is on for the lads to rake in the dough. The money does start rolling in soon enough, but the experience of running the shack tests AJ and Moose’s friendship, creating fractures that are compounded by the presence of Brooke (Mika Abdalla), a young woman who catches the eye of both boys.

The film’s writing is solid, perhaps a little derivative of the various 90s coming-of-age stories that have come out over the years, but standing on those cinematic shoulders confidently, telling a familiar story with enthusiasm. Its pacing is perhaps a little off, overstaying its welcome by a subplot or two, but its minor structural weaknesses don’t get in the way of proceedings too much.

Where the piece’s writing and structure falter slightly, the fantastic work put in by Snack Shack’s talented cast is more than able to pick the experience back up. Sherry and LaBelle had a very tall order to fill as the movie’s leads, but they rose to the occasion, with powerful chemistry that holds the narrative together, facilitating the spectrum of strong emotions at its core and adding depth to an otherwise straightforward story. Adballa is also an apt foil to the duo, acting as a catalyst to bring out new sides to AJ and Moose’s complex dynamic, and Nick Robinson does a fantastic job at balancing out the core cast as Shane, an older friend of AJ and Moose’s who challenges their emotional trajectories and allows for some compelling character growth.

Overall, Snack Shack is a great time, perhaps not breaking new cinematic ground but following in the footsteps of films past with passion and sincerity. It’s a deliberately messy story, crass and complicated in a way that feels authentic to the often-harrowing experience of growing up, and while it has a few pacing issues and might not win points for originality, it makes up for it with fun character dynamics and an undeniable charm.

Umar Ali

Snack Shack is available to buy on digital 3rd June 2024 and to rent from 17th June.

Watch the trailer for Snack Shack here: