I confess that I had never heard of this movie, and it just happened to be starting when I was channel surfing. I decided to stay with it, and am really glad that I did - this is one of the nicest, best-thought out movies that I have seen in a very long time. The performances were all excellent, the characters were very real and believable, and story was absolutely riveting.It's not just the 14-year-old protagonist who "comes of age," but all of the positive characters really show development and growth in this movie.

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.

Yuck! This movie was so bad, I turned it off half way through. What a snore! The characters were all completely cliché - not at all unique, interesting, funny, witty, deep, ANYTHING! What was with the mother in this movie? It's like she didn't even notice how unhappy her son was (or didn't care)...and Steve Carrel's character? Completely unlikable - how unusual for Steve Carrel who, although usually nerdy and clueless, is at least likable! The guy at the water park who befriends the young boy? Okay...weird.....the girlfriend? I don't even remember her, that's what a nothing impression she made on me.Where was the humor...the HUMANITY to this movie? I could make SIMS characters seem more full of life than these flat 2-dimensional characters! And what was with the pedophile pervert at the Water Wiz park, and why has NO ONE else mentioned this????? There is a young teenage girl wearing a way too small bikini standing in front of this ADULT man at the water park, and then, suddenly, as if we are following the gaze of this gross perv, the camera does a disturbingly SLOW climb up this young girl's (practically) naked body! (I know..I'm probably going to get young guys to watch the movie now because of what I'm saying,but I'm really addressing other adults and parents and yea, GIRLS out there in the world who don't agree with blatant objectification)! What kind of disgusting pervert even made this movie???? Anyway, so after THAT, I felt repulsed and turned the movie off. I HIGHLY DO NOT RECOMMEND WATCHING THIS CARDBOARD TRASH that masquerades as some sort of "refreshing adolescent coming-of-age summer flick." DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!! (And Steve Carrel...how could you)?

since i am a 49 year old person,but feel ..kind of young,i really enjoyed this movie.although you 've basically have seen all this before,the troubled shy kid ,the cool ..mentor,the adults problems.another example if you make something with good taste you have a winner.of course it helps if you have an outstanding cast ,like Toni and Sam and ..dick carell ha ha.the kids also played great.it's all about u find a special situation,a place,people, which you belong to.i think everybody craves for such whether young or old ,any living thing.very warm movie.hey ,in the end ,i,and the rest of the planet, like to think the two went back . tell me it is so.THAT was the power magic of this movie.GREAT ,JUST GREAT 11111 OOOOPS SORRY !!!!!!!! HAHAHAHA