Inseparable best friends win the auction to run the snack shack which becomes the long summer’s epicenter of misdemeanors, personal discovery and budding romance. A film by Adam Carter Rehmeier, starring Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdalla, Nick Robinson, Gillian Vigman, and David Costabile.

Two best buds, AJ Carter (Conor Sherry) and Moose Miller (Gabriel LaBelle), are having the time of their teenage lives, as they pursue get-rich-quick schemes such as sneaking out during their school trip to bet on a dog race, and almost getting caught upon attempting to return to the group, who had been waiting for them for 35 minutes.

They are surprised that their experimental home beer brewing turns out to be a success: AJ mentions that it tastes like a real beer. Moose likes the name and proposes to use Real Beer as the brand of their beer, and they brainstorm ideas back and forth. AJ has concerns about how they would transport their product to sell. Moose suggests that they hire Gary, their classmate’s older brother, who drives a limousine for hire.

But their mission is destined to fail before it has even started, as AJ’s parents, Judge Carter (David Costabile) and Jean (Gillian Vigman), discover that AJ and Moose sneaked out of their school trip and there had been an eyewitness who caught them smoking in the VIP area of I-80 OTB, an off-track betting parlor. AJ is grounded for his reckless actions. He is given one week to find a legitimate job, otherwise his mother will send him to summer camp.

Shane (Nick Robinson) has just returned from a tour in the military,. AJ looks up to Shane, as he is like a real brother to him. AJ works temporarily as a lifeguard at the local swimming pool. AJ asks if Shane can introduce them to get lifeguard jobs as him, however, Shane tells them that they have to be at least 16 years old to apply, which they can’t because they’re only 14 years old. Shane suggests that they should ask the Bravo Boys if they need an extra hand running the Snack Shack next to the pool. AJ proposes a plan to Moose that they should outbid the Snack Shack at the city council, and run their own business.

AJ and Moose win the bidding for the Snack Shack, fooled by the Bravo Boys who tricked them with false information. This led them to bid $3,100, ten times what the Bravo Boys actually offered. AJ’s parents are furious to learn he drained his savings account for the Snack Shack. To make matters worse, Moose’s father calls to tell AJ’s father about their secret beer-brewing operation in the basement. Their beer dreams are shattered. Now, all they have is the Snack Shack and a glimmer of hope that it will work and recoup their losses.

Knowing that AJ’s parents were giving AJ a hard time, Shane tells AJ about his next solo trip to Alaska and asks if AJ is interested in joining him on the upcoming adventure trip from July 4th to August 9th, 1992. AJ is excited about accompanying Shane on the trip.

AJ and Moose are still short on supplies to sell at the Snack Shack. Moose suggests getting quick cash by gambling at a poker game at Duff Warfield’s. Later that night, AJ wins the poker game, securing all the money they need for their Snack Shack’s supplies.

Written and directed by American filmmaker Adam Carter Rehmeier, Snack Shack delivers a satisfying coming-of-age comedy set in a small Nebraska town in 1991. While the story focuses on the friendship of two best buds, AJ and Moose, it hits a snag when a girl named Brooke enters the picture. Though initially interested in AJ, she ends up going out with Moose. While the love triangle isn’t a new trope, Mika Abdalla delivers a strong performance as Brooke.

Although Gabriel LaBelle and Conor Sherry are in their early 20s, their believable acting and youthful appearances convince us they are 14-year-old teenagers. Their onscreen chemistry is undeniable, particularly Conor Sherry’s charming portrayal of AJ.

However, the film struggles to maintain its initial momentum. Several scenes feel like filler or music video montages, and could be cut or shortened to tighten the pace. A nitpick I have is the sudden death of a character, which feels heavily foreshadowed in an earlier scene. While coming-of-age films often incorporate death as a thematic element, I can’t help but wonder if a universally happy ending wouldn’t have been more satisfying for viewers.

Snack Shack received a limited theatrical release in the United States on 15 March 2024.