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Camp (2003)
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Reviews Counted:99
Fresh:61
Rotten:38
Average Rating:5.9/10
Consensus: Campy comedy that squeaks by on its charms.
Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: Todd Graff's crowd-pleasing directorial debut pays tribute to summer camps, musical theatre, and Stephen Sondheim. The heartwarming comedy follows a group of youngsters who gather together for... Todd Graff's crowd-pleasing directorial debut pays tribute to summer camps, musical theatre, and Stephen Sondheim. The heartwarming comedy follows a group of youngsters who gather together for another summer at Camp Ovation, a refuge in upstate New York that nurtures aspiring performers. This year, the arrival of Vlad (Daniel Letterle) gets everyone's juices flowing. There's the pretty, but shy, Ellen (Joanna Chilcoat); the oversensitive Michael (Robin De Jesus); the stuck up Jill (Alana Allen); the tormented, overweight Jenna (Tiffany Taylor); the scheming Fritzi (Anna Kendrick); and the beautiful Dee (Sasha Allen). In awe of the camp's guest instructor, Bert Hanley (Don Dixon), Vlad is crushed to discover that he has become a bitter, cynical alcoholic. Amidst the raging hormones and daily melodramas, the kids must nonetheless concentrate on the task at hand, which includes staging the summer's final production. Determined not to succumb to Bert's negative influence, Vlad convinces everyone to stage a performance that will inspire everyone. Using a cast of incredibly talented unknowns, Graff makes certain that each budding superstar has their moment to shine. Shifting between comedy and drama in the span of a single scene, Graff also packs CAMP with enough in-jokes and musical numbers to make for a highly entertaining experience. Part of the New Directors/New Films 2003 series presented by The Department of Film and Media at the Museum of Modern Art and the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York City. [More]
Starring: Daniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat, Robin De Jesus, Steven Cutts
Starring: Daniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat, Robin De Jesus, Steven Cutts, Don Dixon, Tiffany Taylor
Director: Todd Graff
Director: Todd Graff
Screenwriter: Todd Graff
Producer: Christine Vachon, Katie Roumel, Pamela Koffler, Danny DeVito, Stacey Sher, Jonathan Weisgal
Studio: IFC Films
Reviews for Camp
Graff's writing and direction deftly balance the wacky humour and one-line zingers with the more powerful poignant moments.
A film so pointless you'd wish all these kids had been stuck in summer school instead.
Spiked with some genuine show-stopping musical numbers, and the sheer pluck of its young cast is nothing if not admirable.
Another of those summer movies that want to pluck at our heartstrings. If it would just stop plucking for a second, it might be enjoyable.
Though unpolished and a bit formulaic, Camp reminds us that adolescence isn't just a period of time, it's a journey of self-discovery that teens must undertake on their own.
Instead of a homogenized, mass-produced polish, boasts funky, handmade brio that may sometimes be cliched but is always heartfelt.
It's the old phrase - 'hey you guys, let's put on a show' taken to the extreme.
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