Ewan Ward
Well I only started watching it when it was halfway through, and really only paid attention to it when it got about three quarters of the way through, and then well obviously I was lost for while until about 10 minutes from the end. But ... from those 10 minutes I'd say it was a pretty good film, rather entertaining. So yeah, watch the last 10 minutes.
studioAT
This is one of those quirky teen films that is trying to be just like the big quirky teen film that went before it.However, the problem is that it's not half as funny or as quirky, or indeed as good as it likes to think it is.The big name cast is in place, and does its best with the material, but there's something lacking from this film to make it of the same standard as 'Little Miss Sunshine' or 'Juno', of which this film shares some of the creatives.It's a shame because there's a lot to like here, but it doesn't all gel together successfully.
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.
gamergcfan
Okay, so if you don't mind a very slow-paced story, you might be able to tolerate this movie a bit more. However, there was not that engagement value, for the consistent jokes were only slightly funny.Also, the story is not that great due to the inconsistent plot. I do like the characters, but the chemistry between them is lacklustre.Pros:Good charactersCons:Story is silly at timesNot that enjoyable4
AD
