In the ensemble comedy Wet Hot American Summer, David Wein and Michael Showalter create a zany, episodic spoof of the little cared about genre of 80’s summer camp films. The film features a who’s who of current comedy including Amy Poeler, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, and Janeane Garofalo all bringing their unique talents to the table. Although the film made little of a splash when released it has since grown to become a new cult classic.
Wet Hot American Summer takes place on the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood in 1981. Being the end of camp, the apathetic councilors have become quite loose with the rules. Everywhere you look boys and girls are sneaking around. While the film best works as an episodic series of skits there are several subplots that run through the film. These include final last minute hookups and the big sports game allude to the general plot lines of the targeted parody. Of those the most central involves the camp talent show that evening. All campers are required to participate and the film culminates with the talent show bringing all the side characters together, however loosely, as a group of nerdy campers led by astrophysicist Henry (David Hyde Pierce) save the camp from a piece of Skylab about to crash from space. The other subplots include Coop (Showalter) in his attempts to attract the attention of Katie (Marguerite Moreau) who is overly wrapped up in her “too cool for school” boyfriend (Paul Rudd in an inspired performance) and a white water rafting trip that gets in place of self proclaimed superstud (Ken Marino) plans to loose his virginity.
Cult because of the narrow focus of spoofing, 1980’s summer camp films. Since the release of the film, which only made $300,000 in theaters, the film has grown a cult following, recently acknowledged by Michael Cera as the best comedy ever. Part of the nature of cult is the narrow focus of what makes it relatable. In this way, as a parody, Wet Hot American Summer spoofs such a small group of films that make up the sub-genre of 80’s summer camp films. The easiest film to relate it to would be Meatballs. However, Wain and company are hardly interested in making jokes based on specifics of those films. Instead they direct their humor at what can best be looked at as a memory of those films. The humor is for those of us who remember watching these films on TV, growing up with countless montages that transformed a character in two minutes scored by a rocking song that deserves an air guitar solo. There is a hysterical parody of such montages where the counselors go into town for fun. Things starts out innocent with a few smoking a cigarette and laughing. The montage progresses to them buying beer, then cocaine, then heroin in succession all to end on the note “what a great time that was going into town.” Another great scene plays of the sports films of the 80’s. In the scene Coop makes a grand speech to his team full of cliches about how they have risen from the ashes and were a rag tag team of misfits but will now show the rival team who’s boss. The kids begin to point out how cliche the whole thing feels. That it all seem too overdone and they would rather not do it. This self aware humor of the spoofing has such a narrow focus it limits the audience but for those in the know it sings.
Wain’s and Showalter’s humor is specific in itself as well. Many would be cult followers of theirs already prior to Wet Hot American Summer’s release. Starting with MTV’s The State, many of the actors in the film have worked almost solely together in such other comedies as Stella, Reno 911, and more recently with Role Models and Party Down. The comedy troupe features in the film have a long running fan base. Their odd brand of humor had become so distinct that they already had a sense of cult and a cult following. In this way there was already a small but devoted fan base for the film and precedent for the film to gain cult status. To speak of their brand of humor more specifically, Wet Hot American Summer features many of their signatures. These include taboo humor which is seen in an explicit gay sex scene in the film that also ties into the parody aspect by spoofing the all together too common sex scenes of most summer camp films. Surreal elements also are common in the group’s work. In Wet Hot American Summer this can be seen with one character having super powers and another character who talks to a can of vegetables. These traits are recognizable and expected by the group’s devoted fan base and have been a signature from their inception on MTV’s The State.
Wet Hot American Summer may have a narrow focus for it’s spoofing and may feature a signature brand of humor, however the film could have wider appeal than it’s given credit. For all the obvious things that make it a cult favorite, the humor seem too inspired to be regulated to such a narrow fan base. The performances all around are great and one of the many joys of watching the film today is seeing many of these comedians who have no gone on to become more well known including Bradly Cooper, Amy Poeler and Paul Rudd. David Wain’s direction is assured. He knows this group of comedians’ strengths and he uses all of them here. There are a few things however that do hamper the film a bit. Most of these deal with the story or really Wain and Showalter’s need for a plot. The film works best when viewed episodically. The final third of the film looses some steam as the plot, a sketch of one at that, takes over. Overall the film is truly one of the most zaniest films of its kind. It almost makes memories of summer camp seem not so bad.
written by Matthew Robinson
Wain’s and Showalter’s humor is specific in itself as well. Many would be cult followers of theirs already prior to Wet Hot American Summer’s release. Starting with MTV’s The State, many of the actors in the film have worked almost solely together in such other comedies as Stella, Reno 911, and more recently with Role Models and Party Down. The comedy troupe features in the film have a long running fan base. Their odd brand of humor had become so distinct that they already had a sense of cult and a cult following. In this way there was already a small but devoted fan base for the film and precedent for the film to gain cult status. To speak of their brand of humor more specifically, Wet Hot American Summer features many of their signatures. These include taboo humor which is seen in an explicit gay sex scene in the film that also ties into the parody aspect by spoofing the all together too common sex scenes of most summer camp films. Surreal elements also are common in the group’s work. In Wet Hot American Summer this can be seen with one character having super powers and another character who talks to a can of vegetables. These traits are recognizable and expected by the group’s devoted fan base and have been a signature from their inception on MTV’s The State.
Wet Hot American Summer may have a narrow focus for it’s spoofing and may feature a signature brand of humor, however the film could have wider appeal than it’s given credit. For all the obvious things that make it a cult favorite, the humor seem too inspired to be regulated to such a narrow fan base. The performances all around are great and one of the many joys of watching the film today is seeing many of these comedians who have no gone on to become more well known including Bradly Cooper, Amy Poeler and Paul Rudd. David Wain’s direction is assured. He knows this group of comedians’ strengths and he uses all of them here. There are a few things however that do hamper the film a bit. Most of these deal with the story or really Wain and Showalter’s need for a plot. The film works best when viewed episodically. The final third of the film looses some steam as the plot, a sketch of one at that, takes over. Overall the film is truly one of the most zaniest films of its kind. It almost makes memories of summer camp seem not so bad.
written by Matthew Robinson
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