Diagonaldi Very well executed

ScoobyMint Disappointment for a huge fan!

DipitySkillful an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.

SeeQuant Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction

Gabriel Batista But it's light, Make the viewer happy in an inexplicable way.

wtmerrett I originally reviewed this picture in August 2013 but the review disappeared. I really liked this movie even though it was aimed at a much younger audience then yours truly. It is a nice little slice of life and coming of age picture that many early teenagers can identify with. Duncan, the 14 year old main character, has to spend his summer at a beach community with his less then supportive mom and her not so nice boyfriend. It is the boyfriends' beach house and he has been going there for years so has a large group of folks for Duncan and his mom to get approved by. The teenage b*%ch girls on the beach are just the beginning for Duncan and he very soon finds he has no friends there, including his mom who does not want to loose her chance with the boyfriend so does not stick up for Duncan in any way. Duncan soon meets and is befriended by the staff at the water park and he soon works his days there without his mothers knowledge. The water park manager is an offbeat character who is the one supportive person in Duncan's life. Duncan soon learns to stand up for himself and has a blast along the way. Stand-outs in this movie are Steve Carell in his first role as a bad guy, Allison Janney as the man-chasing, heavy-drinking neighbour and Sam Rockwell as the water park manager. Liam James as Duncan is one to watch as this young man will go far.

bill_golden My sentiments largely echo those of the previous (chronological) review, although I'll bump my rating up a bit to four (4) stars. What a disappointing screenplay. The premise, while unoriginal, at least gave me the hope this would be something worth watching, even though I'm way beyond the target demographic. Liam James plays an introverted 14- year-old trying to blend into the beach town environment his family is visiting for a week or two. I could never quite figure out where this town was, whether it was on a lake or at the Jersey shore, or what. He winds up getting a job at the local water park which becomes his "home away from home". His family situation is dysfunctional, his mom's boyfriend (Steve Carell) is an overbearing jerk and most of the girls he encounters in their entourage won't give him the time of day. At the end of the two hours (I watched this on Fox Movie Channel) I found myself wishing I hadn't wasted the time. There wasn't a single character that seemed original or even very appealing. I can't say I was much impressed with Liam James' performance but he wasn't the only one. What is Maya Rudolph doing in this, or I could say why would someone cast her in such a role? You better look quick or you'll miss Amanda Peet in a very small, thankless role with hardly any lines. Toni Collette made no impression on me as Liam James' mother. The main guys at the water park were a bit odd, but not very interesting. Who wears hats like Sam Rockwell's anymore? Allison Janney attempted to breathe some life into the proceedings without much success. To conclude, at the end of the day, the movie couldn't figure out exactly what it wanted to be and I found it lacking in most every regard: Too bland, too clichéd, and too much miscasting.

Calum Rhys In all honesty, I completely loved this film, it is one of the most heartwarming coming-of-age stories of recent years and blends comedy, drama and emotion perfectly. With top notch performances, most notably from Sam Rockwell as the overzealous-yet-lovable waterpark manager Owen and Steve Carrel as the somewhat unexpectedly despicable Trent, both James and Robb also do wonders as the young duo. The film itself has a nice indie feel to it with a fantastic acoustic score, supported by some fine music choices and a generally satisfying story as a whole. A definite must-watch if you enjoy coming-of-age dramas with that hint of heartwarming humour.