Jay Rohr
Theater Camp is a unique joy. This gleeful mockumentary from Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman lovingly ridicules the eccentricities of theater folks. While it still tells a few heartwarming tales, nothing ever gets in the way of laughs or turns overly saccharin. There’s just the right mix of mirth, honesty, and absurdity to keep things enjoyably comedic.
The story centers on events at the plucky theater camp AdirondACTS. Located in upstate New York, young performers gather here annually to hone their skills. The camp has seen better days, and struggling financially, it’s a real tragedy when camp founder Joan Rubinsky falls into a coma. Her well intentioned, witless son Troy suddenly finds himself in charge much to the chagrin of several instructors. However, everyone will have to work together to stave off a foreclosure threatening to close the curtain on this beloved camp.
Granted, it’s not the world’s most original plot or format. But Theater Camp manages to capture a special charm. Thanks to cinematography that feels like a VHS recording, there’s an odd nostalgia despite a contemporary setting. That sort of lends itself to a timeless impression. Although a few jokes revolve around crypto- dude-bro vloggers and their get-rich-quick idiocy, Theater Camp focuses more on the absurdity of theater people.
Despite mining laughs from the idiosyncrasies of its various characters, none of the jokes are really at their expense. It’s more the farcicality of their behavior than a condemnation. Even better nothing ever gets to be so much inside baseball that folks outside the theater realm will be unfamiliar with gags. Granted, those with a theatrical background may enjoy it a bit more since some characters and actions will be more recognizable, Theater Camp never alienates its audience by firing off inside jokes. Instead, the film brings viewers into a world to see how these misfits come to life when free to express themselves.
This opens the door for numerous themes. For instance, the way places a person can feel safe may turn into the places they hide. There’s a definite hint of how acting can kill a childhood, although it’s handled in humorous ways without ever feeling preachy. In essence, Theater Camp manages to criticize the world it loves without getting too heavy. Something it does with some slick humor serving uncomfortable bits of truth.
Characters come to life through wonderful dialogue as well. There is hardly any exposition spoon feeding information. Yes, the mockumentary style allows for occasional blunt info dumps, but these typically set the scene. Witty concise banter is not only entertaining and occasionally quotable but revealing; the way characters react to situations shows who they are. For instance, the audience is never told Troy is a bit of a buffoon. It’s something the audience realizes simply by observing him.
Other characters are similarly expressive. That’s because Theater Camp is composed of a marvelous assortment of performers. Amy Sedaris as Joan is perfect. Jimmy Tatro as Troy is delightfully foolish yet loveable when the time comes. Ayo Edebiri is fantastic as a teacher who, at risk of spoilers, may not be the best at her job. Ben Platt and Molly Gordon easily provide some of the heaviest emotions as codependent friends and acting teachers Rebecca-Diane and Amos Klobuchar. Noah Glavin as Glenn, a tech doing all the backstage work, shines in the finale.
Of course, a movie about a kids’ camp is bound to have several child performers. All of them fill their roles impeccably. None overstay their welcome, and each is a delightful mix of being over the top yet oddly plausible. Some of them even get lines I already plan to quote to people ad nauseum.
Theater Camp does slow just a tick as it drifts towards the end. Some of the characters never really feel like more than filler. That’s to say their main contribution is the occasional one-liner or brief anecdote; they set up what are essentially sketches between the main narrative. While these are often hilarious, it sometimes feels like characters are getting lost in the shuffle. Still, some tight editing keeps the film flowing. And at 93 minutes, Theater Camp hits its marks without feeling rushed before closing on a high note.
The whole movie builds to a final play starring the best performers at AdirondACTS. The 11 o’clock number may have a rocky, ridiculous origin, but it oddly comes together for a touching closing song. And I don’t want to spoil anything too much but suffice it to say the final play features one of the best staged displays of cocaine use I’ve ever seen in children’s theater.
Theater Camp takes a familiar premise and uses it to tell a unique story. Tales of misfits may seem a dime a dozen, however, what sets this one apart is the clear love for the eccentrics at its heart. This playful poke at the farcical aspects of stage life is surely going to become a favorite of theater kids, but any audience would do well giving this film a watch. Sweet, humorous, and charming, Theater Camp is a fun sentimental comedy—the kind not often seen enough.
