A quirky teen with a penchant for war reenactments, Kelly Ernswiler obsesses over military tactics with his buddy Bart. The school bully is one of Kelly's regular headaches, and he also has to deal with a frustrating situation at home, where his father is a recovering drug addict. Kelly's life gets even more complicated when he falls for Tabby, Bart's pretty and soon-to-be-wed older sister.
After the movie scored poorly at a test screening, Miramax vice president Rick Schwartz bullied directors Efram Potelle and Kyle Rankin into playing up the comedic elements and soft-pedaling the family drama.
– J. R. Jones,
Chicago Reader,
6 Apr 2010
fresh:
For most of its length it coasts by with above-average charm and a solid grasp of messy adolescent emotions.
– Colin Covert,
Minneapolis Star Tribune,
16 Oct 2003
rotten:
The film is well-acted and looks good, but it's so inconsequential and bland that you wonder what was it about the script that made anyone think it would make an interesting movie.
– Eric Harrison,
Houston Chronicle,
3 Oct 2003
rotten:
Cinematic mush.
– Robert Denerstein,
Denver Rocky Mountain News,
3 Oct 2003
fresh:
It's too much going on, but I think that as was the case with Stolen Summer, the actors rise above the material and make it worth seeing.