Wet Hot American Summer
One of the biggest failures of being an adult, I have found, is people’s phobia of being silly. Sure, we’ll all sit there and watch comedians flapping around on stage or television shows become ludicrously over the top situations. But when it comes to being silly in your day to day life, people tend to shy away from it. Including critics.
Stating the obvious, just one glance at the moustached and sombrero wearing icon that has become a staple of my image, I relish the silliness. Silliness, as well, that is pure and without offense. I think people forget that it is ok to relish in the madness. It doesn’t have to necessarily pull along the film industry poignantly, but it exists as a medicine and light-heartedness to the glum, drab and “meaningfulness” of the world.
Wet Hot American Summer is one of those films. Now for the impending release of the Netflix series First Day, I’m revisiting Camp Firewood. Of course, there is no great plot here. It’s the end of camp and most are getting ready for the end of summer talent show. On top of that, Coop is trying to score his girl, Vincent is trying to score, Beth has fallen in love and a lot of shenanigans including a weird chef, a blubbing divorcee and characters so unforgettable, you’ll not want to let them go (so it’s kinda lucky that they are coming back).
There is an atmosphere to Wet Hot American Summer that uplifts this from its trudging detractors. See, if this was merely a bunch of people who continued to recycle old plots and jokes through a string of offensive material, I’d be inclined to agree. But there is this air of enthusiasm and passion to be so stupid that makes you appreciate the film more than you thought. The jokes may not work at times but when they land, they are bleeding hilarious. From the forfeit of the baseball team to Paul Rudd’s double take(which is the best thing in world), there is so much teaming here that it overpowers the times it drags along - which, to be fair, are few and far between. It is such a raucous affair that those jokes that don’t entirely work fall to the bottom of the lake, and like Paul Rudd’s kid killing lifeguard Andy, you forget about them.
(Ok, I love Paul Rudd)
Merging together some now high profile stars, this is a terrifically acted film from young performers who now perforate our screens wonderfully. Janean Garofalo as the Camp Director Beth is a combination of sweetness and sternness, David Hyde Pierce is greatly realised as the quirk associate professor she falls for, Molly Shannon as divorcee Gail who is counselled by the children is great and Michael Showalter as Coop - our hero trying to get the girl, is a fantastic focal point and caricature of similar teen heroes. There’s Bradley Cooper who, to be fair, doesn’t get the most screentime but does have a steamy sex scene and heck, future Leslie Knope is planted in the shrill performance of icon Amy Poehler. Plus there’s Christopher Meloni, Ken Marino, Elizabeth Banks, Zak Orth and Joe Lo Truglio, you can see that not only were they having a blast on set, so much so that they wanted to return, but these relationships have continued throughout their film career - each falling into each other’s shows and films.
There’s a connection between the cast and audience that allows the inaner comedy to land. Whilst this is clearly just a series of sketches threaded together by one similar theme, they each serve their purpose to capture Camp Firewood at that equally stressed yet relaxed last day. There’s something special about this film that you can tell that
This abandon of conventions and descent into mayhem is indicative of the end of Summer emotions