[Movie Review] Theater Camp (2023)
Plot Summary: The eccentric staff of a rundown theater camp in upstate New York must band together with the beloved founder's bro-y son to keep the camp afloat.
Directors: Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman
Writers: Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman
Runtime: 1 hour 34 min
Main Cast:
- Ben Platt as Amos Klobuchar
- Molly Gordon as Rebecca-Diane
- Noah Galvin as Glenn Winthrop
- Jimmy Tatro as Troy Rubinsky
- Caroline Aaron as Rita Cohen
- Ayo Edebiri as Janet Walch
Review by: Samuel
What I Liked:
The film did its job- it made you laugh and entertained you for the majority of its runtime. The story is basic (which is good) and it focuses on the counselors and kids at a theater camp who have to come together to put on a grand show to earn money that is desperately needed. The fun part is that every single person takes theater WAY TOO SERIOUSLY. It is hilarious to watch counselors chastise 6 to 7-year-old kids and tell them to “use that pain and sing better next summer.” Similarly, the kids themselves are fully enthralled in the theater experience and spend a lot of time “in character.” The eccentric personalities are the best part of the film especially when adult-themed elements are introduced, and both the kids and adults seemingly roll with it. For example, a favorite scene of mine involves the children acting as waiters in a restaurant serving alcohol to patrons who have no idea that they are actors.
One other thing I want to mention is that the film gets funnier as time moves on. Usually in comedies the tone is set early and you more or less have an idea of the type of comedy you’re in for. You can therefore set your expectations. With Theater Camp, the tone didn’t change but the jokes got significantly funnier as the movie reached its climax. I didn’t think I’d be laughing THAT much more in Act 3 than I was in Act 1, so kudos.
The good thing about this type of film is there’s not a lot to say. Either the ensemble performed its duty and made you laugh out loud, or it did not, and you are looking at your watch for the majority of the runtime. I’m pleasantly surprised to report that it is the former with Theater Camp.
What I Didn’t Like:
I only have two gripes:
- It was a little too long. 10-15 minutes could have been shaved off
- All (and I mean all) of the slower moments really didn’t help the film- the characters aren’t deep enough for you to really have any attachment to them so these just got in the way of the laughs- more so than other films in the genre.
