July 19, 2023
FILM: THEATER CAMP
DIRECTED BY: MOLLY GORDON, NICK LIEBERMAN
STARRING: BEN PLATT, MOLLY GORDON, JIMMY TATRO
RATING: 3 stars out of 4
By Dan Pal
Ok theater people this is your film! Theater Camp attempts to do for all those who have ever been part of a live theatrical production what Christopher Guest’s Best in Show did for dog show lovers. (Well, maybe dog lovers too!) Based on their own short film, writers Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Ben Platt have created a mockumentary of sorts about kids who attend a summer theater camp.
The inciting incident that begins this particular season occurs when the owner Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, thanks to a strobe light. Her son Troy, played by Jimmy Tatro, has to take over the annual experience. Strangely, he knows nothing about theater, which is quite surprising since his mother was clearly a theater guru. Troy instead is a bit clueless and generally lets the regular theater instructors run the show. The theater quickly falls under foreclosure and doom is in the air. Meanwhile, we are introduced to a host of kids who audition for the summer’s shows with all of the necessary over-the-top singing and emoting that we’d expect from a mockumentary about a theater camp.
Generally these opening scenes are the best parts of the film. There are plenty of interesting kids to follow and some of the instructors are equally as eccentric as they are. A conflict develops between long time friends and collaborators Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon) as Troy attempts to weather the foreclosure storm with rival camp rep Caroline (Patti Harrison.) Most of the middle section of the film is comprised, in part, of these issues but mostly features a lot of fast paced, quickly cut scenes of the kids learning the trade and performing. Some of these, while often very funny as sight gags, feel pretty random and more in tune to the satire at hand than to any narrative arc. Gradually some of the comedic steam is lost as the more serious implications of the above conflicts receive a larger focus.
Fans of the Christopher Guest style of mockumentary that partially inspired this film might be a bit disappointed at these darker tones. There is also none of the direct address we’ve come to accept from these types of films and TV series (The Office, Parks & Recreation, Abbott Elementary.) Yet, the film is still fairly light and fun to not disappoint what will likely be its primary audience: theater people. I don’t think the film has a universal enough appeal and wide or consistent enough sense of humor for average audiences to embrace it though.
Still, there are plenty of pleasurable moments here that are well played by the theater seasoned cast. It’s particularly fun to see Jimmy Tatro again who made his first big splash on the Netflix mock docu-series American Vandal. His scenes with Patti Harrison are particularly good. Noah Galvin shows a lot of range and talent as Glenn, a tech guy who also is a largely undiscovered great dancer and performer. Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Crimes & Misdemeanors) is always a pleasure to have on screen. Too bad her character disappears for most of the film though. Similarly, Amy Sedaris only has a couple short scenes as Troy’s mother Joan. (Stay for the end though for a brief but comical scene between her and an uncredited cameo by Susie Essman from Curb Your Enthusiasm.)
There’s generally a nice energy for much of the film even if it does wane a bit towards the end. The musical numbers and performances are appropriately campy and the kids are pretty talented.
It’s not the best mockumentary ever made but certainly not the worst. The film will no doubt have a long life in the theater world that continually produces new generations in love with the stage and ready to give it their all.
Theater Camp opens this week in limited theatrical release.
FILM: THEATER CAMP
DIRECTED BY: MOLLY GORDON, NICK LIEBERMAN
STARRING: BEN PLATT, MOLLY GORDON, JIMMY TATRO
RATING: 3 stars out of 4
By Dan Pal
Ok theater people this is your film! Theater Camp attempts to do for all those who have ever been part of a live theatrical production what Christopher Guest’s Best in Show did for dog show lovers. (Well, maybe dog lovers too!) Based on their own short film, writers Noah Galvin, Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, and Ben Platt have created a mockumentary of sorts about kids who attend a summer theater camp.
The inciting incident that begins this particular season occurs when the owner Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, thanks to a strobe light. Her son Troy, played by Jimmy Tatro, has to take over the annual experience. Strangely, he knows nothing about theater, which is quite surprising since his mother was clearly a theater guru. Troy instead is a bit clueless and generally lets the regular theater instructors run the show. The theater quickly falls under foreclosure and doom is in the air. Meanwhile, we are introduced to a host of kids who audition for the summer’s shows with all of the necessary over-the-top singing and emoting that we’d expect from a mockumentary about a theater camp.
Generally these opening scenes are the best parts of the film. There are plenty of interesting kids to follow and some of the instructors are equally as eccentric as they are. A conflict develops between long time friends and collaborators Amos (Ben Platt) and Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon) as Troy attempts to weather the foreclosure storm with rival camp rep Caroline (Patti Harrison.) Most of the middle section of the film is comprised, in part, of these issues but mostly features a lot of fast paced, quickly cut scenes of the kids learning the trade and performing. Some of these, while often very funny as sight gags, feel pretty random and more in tune to the satire at hand than to any narrative arc. Gradually some of the comedic steam is lost as the more serious implications of the above conflicts receive a larger focus.
Fans of the Christopher Guest style of mockumentary that partially inspired this film might be a bit disappointed at these darker tones. There is also none of the direct address we’ve come to accept from these types of films and TV series (The Office, Parks & Recreation, Abbott Elementary.) Yet, the film is still fairly light and fun to not disappoint what will likely be its primary audience: theater people. I don’t think the film has a universal enough appeal and wide or consistent enough sense of humor for average audiences to embrace it though.
Still, there are plenty of pleasurable moments here that are well played by the theater seasoned cast. It’s particularly fun to see Jimmy Tatro again who made his first big splash on the Netflix mock docu-series American Vandal. His scenes with Patti Harrison are particularly good. Noah Galvin shows a lot of range and talent as Glenn, a tech guy who also is a largely undiscovered great dancer and performer. Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Crimes & Misdemeanors) is always a pleasure to have on screen. Too bad her character disappears for most of the film though. Similarly, Amy Sedaris only has a couple short scenes as Troy’s mother Joan. (Stay for the end though for a brief but comical scene between her and an uncredited cameo by Susie Essman from Curb Your Enthusiasm.)
There’s generally a nice energy for much of the film even if it does wane a bit towards the end. The musical numbers and performances are appropriately campy and the kids are pretty talented.
It’s not the best mockumentary ever made but certainly not the worst. The film will no doubt have a long life in the theater world that continually produces new generations in love with the stage and ready to give it their all.
Theater Camp opens this week in limited theatrical release.