Review #1,302: 'Wet Hot American Summer' (2001)

With the sheer volume of teen sex comedies being released in the wake of unexpected smash-hit American Pie in 1999, Wet Hot American Summer flew way under my radar in 2001 and didn't come to my attention until Netflix announced that they were releasing a prequel series in 2015. It was a strange time when the likes of Chris Klein and Breckin Meyer threatened to become movie stars, but near enough all of the cast of Wet Hot American Summer have since established themselves as movie stars or famous faces in the comedy circuit and are still going strong. The film, directed by Role Models' David Wain, has also gone on to garner a cult following, thanks to its gleefully absurd sense of humour, anarchic storytelling approach, and 1980's setting.

Set on the final day of summer camp in 1981, Wet Hot American Summer tells its 'story' in the form of vignettes, with most of the characters looking to get their end away one way or another. There's Beth (Janeane Garofalo), the camp's director who finds herself inexplicably attracted to shy astrophysics assistant professor Henry (David Hyde Pierce). Coop (played by co-writer Michael Showalter) has the hots for fellow counsellor Katie (Marguerite Moreau), but her attention is taken up by her rebellious and obnoxious boyfriend, camp badass Andy (Paul Rudd). Other characters include Gail (Molly Shannon), the heartbroken crafts teacher, Gene (Christopher Meloni), the intense Vietnam veteran who has a habit of accidentally revealing his bizarre sexual habits mid-conversation, Victor (Ken Marino), who must run miles back to camp if he hopes to get laid, and Susie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Bradley Cooper), the seemingly picture-postcard couple who aim put on the greatest talent show the camp has ever seen.

Most people's enjoyment of Wet Hot American Summer will hinge upon their willingness to accept the film's goofiness. It's a gag-a-minute: some jokes land, but most don't. It works best when at its most silly, like the sight of Marino struggling to jump over a tiny roll of hay in the road on his quest to lose his virginity, in a gag that brings Father Ted to mind, or Garofalo's one-hour trip into town that quickly descends into crack-smoking, granny-robbing depravity. But the film leans on the charm of its ensemble to get by, and with the sheer volume talent on show (Meloni and Rudd have never been funnier), it works well up to a point. As a nostalgia piece, it lovingly nails the era long before the likes of Stranger Things and It, and the result is a hybrid of Meatballs, Porky's and Friday the 13th. It's main problem is that it's lampooning something which isn't quite ridiculous enough to make fun of, so rather than a clever parody, it often resembles yet another entry in the teen sexy comedy wave that was thankfully dying out by 2002. Still, I understand the appeal and the cult following, but it feels like I'm slightly too late for the party.


Directed by: David Wain
Starring: Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd, Zak Orth, Christopher Meloni, A.D. Miles, Molly Shannon, Ken Marino
Country: USA

Rating: ***

Tom Gillespie