Ah, the good old 90s, when kids could be told to “fuck off” or be served a nice “fuckdog” with no repercussions. What is a “fuckdog,” one might ask? Well, it is simply a hot dog with ketchup reading “FUCK” adorned across it, for an extra seventy-five cents. Watching Snack Shack feels like revisiting old friends, reminiscing about a simpler time, and remembering when everyone at school wore all things NIKE. A nostalgic coming of age dramedy set at a poolside concession stand, Snack Shack presents a touching ode to a bygone era that is a must-see for any 90s kid.
Filmed entirely on location in Nebraska, Snack Shack rolls back the clock to 1991. Besties AJ (newcomer Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle, The Fabelmans, The Predator) have big plans to spend their summer selling homemade hooch and kicking it poolside as the money rolls in. Moose consistently comes up with random schemes to help them make money; once AJ’s parents give him an ultimatum about finding a job, something unique presents an unmissable opportunity for the two boys. College-hopeful lifeguard Shane (Nick Robinson, Love, Simon, Jurassic World) proposes they run the pool’s so-called Snack Shack. Ever the fourteen-year-old entrepreneurs, idea man Moose figures out all the logistics. Three thousand dollars and one drained savings account later, AJ and Moose have officially secured the Snack Shack for one seriously rad summer.
For awhile, it seems that nothing can come between them. Their concession sales are a raging success from day one—both boys have never seen this much money in their lives. Leave it to a girl to break up the party. Enter: Brooke (Mika Abdalla, Sex Appeal, CW’s The Flash), the photographer cousin of AJ’s neighbor who will be staying in their little town for the summer. AJ easily helps Brooke get a lifeguarding gig at the pool through his connection with Shane, while not-so-secretly crushing on her every movement. At first, Brooke refers to AJ as “Shitpig,” not necessarily boding well for their romantic prospects. Moose takes a liking to Brooke not long after. Dialing up his charms, Moose suddenly seems more likely to end up with Brooke than AJ. As the concession stand business booms, tragedy lurks just around the corner.
In a lesser film, Brooke would be portrayed as an awful person pitting two best friends against one another in stride. Instead, Abdalla makes Brooke a fully-formed character with goals and aspirations. She seems to have genuine care for AJ and his feelings. Just as successful in a supporting role in Robinson’s Shane, a de facto big brother type for aimless AJ. The two plan an Alaskan vacation together in the hopes that by next summer, AJ’s parents will have pumped the breaks on their control over him. Obnoxious bullies hellbent on making life a living hell for the “preppies” brought me back to my high school days. The beating heart of the movie, ultimately, is the friendship between AJ and Moose. Both actors are terrific playing opposite each other, and their contagious energy behind the bar of the titular Snack Shack supercharges its staying power.
Writer/director Adam Rehmeier (grossly underrated Dinner for America) seems to have his pulse on 90s nostalgia, peppering the film with fun decades-specific moments and countless soundtrack jams. Intensely vibrant color grading gives Snack Shack a stylized feel that borders Richard Linklater. More than once, it hits that coming of age dramedy sweet spot, putting us directly into the headspace of young AJ. Toxic masculinity, young love, crude humor, profanity-laden bestie talk, and surprising emotionality are among many elements that pop. Unexpected bursts of sadness, as with life, leave much to mull over as the credits roll.
Snack Shack blends a slice-of-life style with a pure throwback coming of age comedy for a truly delicious concoction. More than anything else, the feature’s authenticity and central bromance signal the arrival of a generational favorite that anyone who grew up in this era will appreciate. Don’t miss out on one of the year’s best dramedies, one which could fit perfectly alongside movies such as Adventureland and Everybody Wants Some.
Swing by the pool and don’t forget to visit the Snack Shack, coming exclusively to theaters on Friday, March 15th.
