A clear love for everything theatre - and funny to boot
Ironically perhaps the most understated movie of the year in regards to its advertising, Theater Camp is a mockumentary-style glimpse into the wacky characters and antics of a drama camp on the verge of being shut down.
Written by stars and long-time theatre buddies, Ben Platt and Molly Gordon (the latter of whom also co-directs), the film has a clear love for everything theatre, making reference to classic plays and lovingly pastiching the quirks of kids with a passion for the arts. Besides the crew of unique kids, Platt and Gordon do a great job as camp teachers with a strained friendship that works as the lynchpin of the entire film, Platt showing more charisma than he was able to in Dear Evan Hansen.
The plot is fairly basic: a simple camp-running-low-on-money-so-works-up-the-funds-by-putting-on-a-show story. Essentially an excuse to display the bizarre antics that take place at theatre camp, this ends up feeling more like a highlight reel of mockumentary skits, but a funny highlight reel at that.
Theater Camp will be theatre kids’ sabbath, showing cinemagoers the weird and wonderful of everything theatre. It may not be as impactful for your average viewer, but it will provide some well-meaning laughs.
Rating: 7/10