As summer rolls around again, kids are gathering from all over to attend AdirondACTS, a scrappy theater camp in upstate New York that’s a haven for budding performers. After its indomitable founder Joan (Amy Sedaris) falls into a coma, her clueless "crypto-bro" son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) is tasked with keeping the thespian paradise running. With financial ruin looming, Troy must join forces with Amos (Tony Award winner Ben Platt), Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon), and their band of eccentric teachers to come up with a solution before the curtain rises on opening night.
First-time feature directorial duo Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman authentically celebrate the brilliant and slightly unhinged educators and magical spaces that allow kids to be themselves and find their confidence, nailing the details after experiencing decades of camp life. With a winning comedic ensemble cast and boundless creativity, THEATER CAMP wears its cult-following potential squarely on its sequined shoulders, gifting us with instantly quotable lines and zany, lovable characters in the kind of hilarious mockumentary that deserves rapturous applause.
PG-13, 1h 34m.
"The screenwriters... find ways to turn potential cliches into something fresh and funny. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, jeez, you might even sing." – indieWire
"There is not a minute that went by where I was not laughing hard at a situation, a line reading, an expression by an actor or something going on in the background. A true laugh-a-minute crowd-pleaser that culminates in something unexpectedly beautiful." – Movie Madness Podcast
"THEATER CAMP is part nostalgia, part satire, and the combination of those two themes works wondrously." – AwardsWatch
"The cast of amazingly talented kids are fab. [Noah] Galvin is particularly hilarious as the stage manager/go-to guy. The film is a zany celebration of anyone who has ever felt different, including (and especially) queer kids." – Edge Media Network
"THEATER CAMP is a cult classic waiting to happen, thanks to four friends deciding to make a movie together." – Solzy At the Movies