Co-writer Michael Showalter, with director and co-writer David Wain, collaborate on MTV’s The State. ‘Summer to make their debut in feature length film. AP photo/Leslie Hassler

In the recent years, teen romp comedies have gained much popularity. Movies like American Pie and Road Trip seemingly re-wrote the book on teen comedies. The truth is that those movies, as novel and fresh as they seemed, owe their formula to much earlier comedies like Meatballs, Little Darlings, Porkys and Animal House. The late seventies and early eighties set a trend for a slue of such films, many of which now live in video rental cemeteries. The above mentioned were the cream of the crop and have kept their popularity throughout the years. It was the daring, no holds barred raunchyness of films like Animal House that inspired the Weitz Brothers to write and direct American Pie. But when looking at their blue print, the new filmmakers only walk away with the raunch, leaving behind the sweet naiveté of the 80’s teen psyche. In the earlier films, the characters were novices, curious and most often… virgins.

It is this naiveté that is the basis for the clever parody, Wet Hot American Summer. Director David Wain is no stranger to comedy, as creator of MTV’s sketch comedy show The State, Wain got critical praise for his sharp writing and absurd scenarios. In ‘Summer he masterfully directs an all star cast including Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde-Pierce, Molly Shannon, and Paul Rudd. A strong supporting cast is played by the talented former cast of The State and members of New York’s sketch comedy troop, The Upright Citizens’ Brigade.

The story opens as a summer camp in Maine is about to start the last day of camp in 1981. A very strange time in teen culture, it is captured with great craft. The costumes are hilarious, not because they are over the top… but because they are perfectly recreated. A time when a guy could wear cut off denim short shorts, a sleeveless muscle shirt and a metal choker and still be seen as cool. All the 80’s camping cliché characters are here, the nerd that won’t shower, the science geek that wears coke bottle glasses, the horny nymphet with an appetite for “French cuisine,” the neurotic art teacher and the hippie camp director, to name a few.

The day progresses as the hot blooded teens all scurry to find a last day romance worthy of bragging about in September. This premise sets up a flood of hilarious scenarios best kept a secret until seen. The huge difference between this and it’s less intelligent cousin, American Pie, is that ‘Summer doesn’t depend on sight gags and gross outs to get a laugh. The pedigree group of comedians set up elaborate pay-offs to their scenes through great improv and interaction.

The movie also very cleverly uses visual parodies meant only for those who know their 80’s teen flicks. Look for a great scene spun from the mambo lessons sequence in Dirty Dancing. Wain gets a lot of mileage out of the 80’s movie cliché’s, drawing from the martial arts, teen romance and college romp movies of the Reagan years.

The DVD is well produced and is chock full of fun features including a sidesplitting deleted scenes sequence and director’s commentary track. It should be duly noted that it is not a movie for the She’s all That audience, rather for the audience that notices the unintentional comedy in those movies. Wells worth the rent and at only $22 retail a great addition to a comedy collection.

Last updated: March 28, 2002
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