Snack Shack – Review

Nebraska. 1991. At the I-80 OTB gambling hall with horse races, 14-year-old school kids A.J. Carter (Sherry) and Moose Miller (LaBelle) are on a hot streak. As long as they don’t go rogue and place the right bets, they may hit that big money. Sweetchuck is the boy. Straight bet, no exotics, let it ride. Up three bills, the place the full amount while taking long drags on cigarettes. Three whole dollars are now on the line. BOOM! Sweetchuck wins!!!!! That’s a clean hit for some cash and decent winnings!

But, the boys cab ride from the gambling tracks to the school field trip has just taken off with another fare. Oh shit. A.J. takes off on foot. Moose bribes a local man for a quick ride in his shit box. Their teacher is very unhappy to see them, as they have been looking for them at the zoo for 30 minutes. Their excuse? Some kid had a grand mal seizure by the Bongo habitat, the train stopped, what could they do?! Their teacher growls and shuffles them onto the bus.

A.J. and Moose have been friends growing up for a long time. They get each other and are enjoying life as they can, only taking things so seriously, and looking for ways to be “adults,” despite slapping each other randomly and getting into scuffles. Their best project? A really good craft home brew beer that is delicious. They are sitting on a cash cow. It’s time to expand their operation.

While the boys seem a bit immature, they are fucking 14 after all, and just about to start high school. Their energy is relatively infectious, and the script clearly shows why these guys are friends. Are they soon to be rolling in dough?!?

A.J.’s sister Chrissy (Gentry) does the ‘Wild Thing’ dance for her parents Judge (Costabile) and Jean (Vigman) as he arrives home. As he and his friend Moose chow down at the table, A.J.’s parents hawk in on what the boys have been doing on the field trip, as apparently there was a witness to some cigarette smoking and/or gambling. Uh oh. No more running free range this summer. A.J. needs a job.

The boys then discover a potential work place, and ability to keep their schemes running. Too bad growing older, and life, and girls, get in the way. As hotties catch the boys’ attention, maybe something can bust up the bromance between these best friends after all. New girl and Army brat Brooke (Abdalla) moves in with her cousin Leah (Clark) who lives on the same block as A.J. and he is instantly into her. Plus, their older army vet buddy Shane Workman (Robinson) is in town for the summer weekends. That helps everything.

Snack Shack is a simple movie which really doesn’t bring any new ideas to the table, nor does it present an original story. But sometimes, being quality is good enough, and authentic characters are all you need. It is very well done with what it aims to do, and is an enjoyable time for those seeking an easy to watch coming of age type comedy. There is a lot that rings true with behavior, friendship, jealousy, angst, learning and growing older. The acting is very good and the characters well-defined with enough introspection. It may go a touch long, but for the most part this is a good movie. Come hang out with these kids and make some dough.

The takeaways here are fuck the Carmichaels, and stuff it big time, Chrissy.