Buy the DVD:

Wet Hot American Summer

Some of the best comedic minds of our time come together for this laugh-out-loud portrayal of the last day of summer camp in 1981. Camp Firewood’s director, Janeane Garofalo, starts out her morning by falling in love with the astrophysicist-next-door (played by David Hyde Pierce). Dramatists Amy Poehler and Bradley Cooper are putting together a number from Godspell for the talent show, Ken Marino is trying to make it back to camp for the girl of his dreams and Molly Shannon is teaching crafts while breaking down about her divorce. Michael Ian Black and Bradley Cooper are sneaking off to get married, Michael Showalter is trying to convince Marguerite Moreau to leave Paul Rudd for her. Paul Rudd couldn’t care in the least that Marguerite may be leaving him, because he’s too busy making out with Elizabeth Banks.

This star-studded comedy just keeps getting more and more ridiculous. At first, it just seems like a film about hooking up. As it progresses, and the situations become more extreme, the more hilarious it all becomes. A perfect example is a trip into town that devolves into a drunken, whoring, crack and heroin bender. Towards the end of the visit, everyone is simply twitching and tweaking out, yet when they get back to camp, everyone is perfectly groomed and speaking cognitively about the wonderful time they had.

Another example comes from the end of the movie. David Hyde Pierce was tasked with relating to the “indoor kids,” whom he impresses with his vast knowledge of science. Things look bleak as a piece of the SKYLAB has broken off, and is headed straight for Camp Firewood. The nerds quickly assemble a machine to divert the object’s path, but while they are furiously working, a mysterious wind comes to their aid. The wind comes from a lonely camper who sticks to himself and doesn’t talk to anyone. The magical feat is his talent show performance.

The zany plot speaks for itself. The actors are all brilliant, the script is just plain funny and the film (while raunchy at times) is a wonderful escape from the mundane.

Written by: Tracy Elledge

Reviewers Rating: 9
Reader's Rating: 0
Reader's Votes: 0

Rate It