Meet the Drinkwaters - the quirky father and son from Penticton, BC. The story centres on son Mike's last year in high school, his struggles to find himself, find love and find a future, in spite of a father who is unsupportive, a girl who doesn't notice him, a bully and a school that doesn't appreciate his clever challenges to Bernoulli's principle of flight. But, along the way he meets new neighbour Wallace, an American girl he introduces to Canada and who in turn helps him see past the roadblocks of the past.
Acting was great with particular comedy kudos to Daniel Doheny (Mike) and Eric McCormack (Mike's father Hank), and a winning smile from Louriza Tronco (Wallace).
The amount of work that went into this is really astounding - the details of the costume and design, the many nods to Canada in the writing and setting (filmed entirely in Penticton), the soundtrack which is replete with Canadian bands, and of course the Canadian cast. Although contemporary, it feels like the 80s, from Mike's groaning Gremlin to Wallace's banana seat bike with handlebar streamers. It's total nostalgia.
And it's a feel-good movie. Yes, a bit predictable at times, but sometimes you know what you want.
