Is there any group more ripe for mockery than those self-important theater nerds? Probably, but that doesn’t matter right now because it’s time to go to camp. In the tradition of other mockumentaries from over the years such as “This is Spinal Tap,” “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” and “Waiting For Guffman,” as well as numerous television programs in a post-“The Office” world, co-writer/co-director Nick Lieberman and co-writer/co-direcotr/co-star Molly Gordon (“Shiva Baby,” “Booksmart”), alongside co-star/co-writer Ben Platt (“Pitch Perfect,” “Dear Evan Hansen (2021)”) and co-star/co-writer Noah Galvin (“Booksmart,” “The Good Doctor”) have brought the irreverence of the mockumentary to the world of summer camps for theater kids with “Theater Camp.”
The film stars Platt, Gordon, and Galvin as Amos, Rebecca-Diane, and Glenn, respectively, three teachers/wannabe thespians who help run the camp AdirondACTS in New York. After their beloved founder, played by Amy Sedaris (“Strangers With Candy,” “The Mandalorian”), falls into a coma, her internet influencer son Troy, played by Jimmy Tatro (“American Vandal,” “Home Economics”), takes over the camp to hopefully prevent it from being shut down by corporate land developer Caroline, played by Patti Harrison (“Together Together,” “The Lost City”).
The cast is a who’s-who of comedic character actors and theater alumni. There’s also Nathan Lee Graham (“Zoolander,” “The Comeback”) as Clive, one of the other teachers at the camp, and Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear,” “Bottoms”) who continues to showcase her ability to take extremely silly roles extremely seriously as impromptu teacher Janet. Throughout the film, it’s clear that each actor here has such a love for the theater and the experience of putting on a show that it allows them to not only mock themselves but the process in such a specific way. This is a film that can be seen and enjoyed by anyone, but that is so clearly laser focused on providing jabs and jokes for other theatrically-inclined young adults.
It's the kind of movie that could only get made because the people involved are so intrenched in the world they’re making fun of. Platt and Gordon, both childhood friends and Broadway actors, play the self-important director role so well its scary. But there’s a genuine love within the characters that makes it hard to completely hate them, even as they continue to do groan worthy things throughout the runtime. Harrison is just as silly and scene stealing as she’s ever been, and her scenes opposite Tatro are extremely funny. Sedaris is also a veteran of this kind of weird comedy, and she’s deployed with precision to get the most laughs out of her brief appearances.
But the absolute stars of the show are Tatro and Galvin. Their scenes together end up being the heart of the movie, not just because of their characters’ arcs, but their chemistry. These two are just so good together, bouncing off each other and creating an interesting friendship between a shy gay stage manager and a crypto obsessed dude-bro. Tatro especially continues to show why he’s the best at this kind of shtick and Galvin is so endearing you’ll want to cheer for him at the end. The cast of young kids are also complete stars in the making, practically challenging you not to love them by the time the film is over.
Even the film’s handful of original songs end up being legitimately great. It’s difficult to have a song work both as a joke and also as a good song as well, but “Theater Camp” pulls it off effortlessly. It’s a toe-tapping good time and a fantastic way to end the film, which wraps itself up in a short and sweet 93 minutes. It’s not a flawless production, as things start to drag a bit towards the middle when the film’s more dramatic elements crop up and it starts to feel more episodic, but there’s never a lack of jokes even in those slower moments.
“Theater Camp” might get less out of you if you don’t know the difference between Sondheim or Streisand, but it still manages to be extremely funny regardless. Packed with some committed comedic performances, a real sense of scrappy charm, and some fantastic kids and songs, at the end of the day, “Theater Camp” really sings. 4.5/5
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