A ‘Matthew’s Musings’ review of Snack Shack (2024).
Matthew Haigh is an aspiring film journalist from Rochdale, UK, who approached me about the opportunity to write for One Mann’s Movies. This is his first, well-written, offering: for a film from last year – “Snack Shack” – that frankly passed me by! Please give it a read and give me any feedback. Thanks, Dr Bob.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this despite at first thinking it was just going to be another American ‘B’ movie. It punched way above its station.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“Snack Shack” Plot:
AJ (Conor Sherry) and Moose (Gabriel LaBelle) are strapped for cash and, after doing a multitude of chores, gain enough money to inherit the ‘Snack Shack’ – a food stall on the side of a swimming pool. While making all this money, a love triangle begins to spin between AJ, Moose and Brooke (Mika Abdella), a girl AJ met by fate on his street.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R (From the BBFC web site: ‘Strong language, sex references, drug misuse’)
Talent:
Starring: Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdella, Nick Robinson, David Costabile, Gillian Vigman.
Directed by: Adam Carter Rehmeier.
Written by: Adam Carter Rehmeier.
Running Time: 1h 52m.
“Snack Shack” Summary:
Positives:
- All the characters felt complex, deep and believable with relatable allergy moments.
- Great cinematography.
- True heartfelt moments that gave my heartstrings a good tug. Especially the bromance.
- A fantastic score.
- Moose’s character arc.
Negatives:
- The constant repetition of the word ‘dude’.
- Plot points are occasionally predictable.
Review of “Snack Shack”:
Lad Culture.
Money, alcohol and women is the name of the game here which perfectly reflects the typical American ‘lad’. Snack Shack perfectly capsulates this sentiment with the characters of AJ and Moose. This entrepreneurial, bromancing duo display these basic desires but Rehmeier takes them and manufacturers interesting dynamics that are seen throughout the film. We eventually see the fears and vulnerabilities of AJ through the love triangle between him, Moose and Brooke which adds an incredible amount of depth to his character which I really enjoyed.
Moose’s character.
His character is incredibly interesting in this film. He begins the film as one half of the typical ‘buddy film’ protagonists alongside AJ and is much of this film’s driving force plot-wise. However, I discovered that his role in “Snack Shack” grows increasingly complex. This is due to the love triangle; AJ begins to dislike or even hate Moose for his actions. From this point in the story, he begins to transition into this film’s antagonist as we are informed that this is AJ’s is the primary focus of the film. From this, though, Moose and AJ reunite at the films ending. I do not recall witnessing such a flexible role in a film and thought that this was incredibly interesting to see.
Punching above its weight.
When I read the cast for this film my expectations were quite low; the film did not have any actors I recognised (except Nick Robinson and Gabriel Labelle). I thought that this was going to be just another American ‘B’ movie. However, I was delighted to see that my presumptions were quite baseless as these lower-league actors, unknown to me, made something truly excellent and I am now looking forward to seeing more of their work.
The Cinematography.
The cinematography (by Jean-Philippe Bernier) was innovative, creative and really matched the energy of the film. It was very similar in style to the cinematography employed in “Shawn of the Dead”.
The Score.
The score (by Keegan DeWitt) throughout Snack Shack was excellent as each moment in the film was complemented perfectly; love scenes were accompanied by a melodic tune and intense scenes were accompanied accordingly. It was this that elevated this film to the next level as the score brought everything together and drove home the emotions that the viewer feels throughout this film.
Summary Thoughts on “Snack Shack”
This film was an excellent watch and one that I would highly recommend. If you liked “Notting Hill”, “American Beauty” or “Ted” (minus the crude jokes) then you will probably warm to this one. The characters were well written and complex. This was a real ‘snack’ for the eyes that can be looked at in as much depth as you like. A true 2024 hidden gem.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “Snack Shack”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdXFIKFPWoQ.
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