Part of Camp Belcourt
Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER follows a group of counselors who are each trying to complete their unfinished business before the day ends. The entire summer of pent-up sexual frustrations, unresolved post-traumatic stress, pending separations — and of course, the talent show — all weigh heavily on the minds of counselors and campers alike.
This indispensable summer camp classic — birthed by and starring the creators of MTV’s “The State” — is filled to the brim with a veritable who’s who of early aughts comedic talent (Janeane Garofalo, Paul Rudd, David Hyde Pierce, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, H. Jon Benjamin) and has left an indelible impression with its high quotability, multi-tiered nostalgia and wall-to-wall gags. An absolute cult masterpiece thrust back into the zeitgeist thanks to a prequel and follow-up series from Netflix, WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER is one of the very best comedies of its generation.
“The perfect kind of slow-burning comedy favorite, a flop upon release that built up a following because of its stars (many of whom went on to greater fame), its moments of surrealism, and its endlessly quotable script.” —David Sims, The Atlantic “Its offbeat sensibilities, running gags, deliberate distaste for continuity, and kitchen-sink approach to comedy flew over the heads of most critics at the time but became fodder for comedy nerds in the years to come. You’d be hard-pressed to find another film that packs in as many jokes per minute as WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER.” —Tyler Golsen, Far Out Magazine
