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Wet Hot American Summer Details

2001 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 50
  • from 812 members

The staff members of Camp Firewood, feeling that they have squandered the summer of 1981, are determined to make their last day together count. Crunchy counselor Beth (Jeaneane Garofolo) finds an unexpected love interest in shy, neighboring astrophysicist Neuman (David Hyde Pierce), who is busy tracking an errant piece of .. Read more

Starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd
Director David Wain
Genres Comedy

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Wet Hot American Summer

The staff members of Camp Firewood, feeling that they have squandered the summer of 1981, are determined to make their last day together count. Crunchy counselor Beth (Jeaneane Garofolo) finds an unexpected love interest in shy, neighboring astrophysicist Neuman (David Hyde Pierce), who is busy tracking an errant piece of Skylab. Elsewhere, everyman Coop (Michael Showalter) pursues longtime crush Katie (Marguerite Monroe), despite her ignoramus boyfriend, Andy (Paul Rudd). Uptight Susie (Amy Poehler) is determined to stage a talent show that will rival the average Broadway production, while divorced arts and crafts instructor Gail (Molly Shannon) seeks love advice from 12-year-old campers. While several counselors make a pilgrimage to a crack house, virginal Gary has an unexpected sexual awakening, and Vietnam veteran cook Gene finds a guiding light in a can of green beans and erotic fulfillment in the refrigerator.
Conceived by Michael Showalter and David Wain, members of comedy troupe The State, WET HOT AMERICAN summer pays tribute to the teen films of the 1970s and early 1980s, most notably the Bill Murray summer camp classic MEATBALLS, with a straight face and an anything-goes brand of comedy. Mixing and matching from a checklist of youth film cliches and turning them into sight gags that often defy time and space, Showalter and Wain have crafted a film that manages to be a consistently funny tribute to the genres it lampoons.

Starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Marisa Ryan, Michael Ian Black, Bradley Cooper, Gideon Jacobs, Amy Poehler, Howard Bernstein, Ken Marino, A.D. Miles, Michael Showalter
Director David Wain
Run time DVD: 1 hr 32 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Genres Comedy
Language English
Released DVD: 24 Feb 2003
Production year: 2001
Format DVD
  • Critics' reviews (3) of Wet Hot American Summer

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  • "...A delectable parody....Hilariously sly....Showalter gives an inspired performance....[A} gleeful and ingenious pop satire..."

    • Entertainment Weekly
  • "...Wain and Showalter deserve camp kudos for getting the details right..."

    • Rolling Stone
  • Most helpful member's review of Wet Hot American Summer

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  • 9 out of 11 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    Hilarious

    This movie was hilarious - although perhaps my enjoyment was enhanced by my extensive knowledge of the American summer teen movie (thing Meatballs, Caddyshack, etc).

    I rented it because Janeane Garofalo said it was her favourite movie that she had worked on, and as she doesn't ladle much praise around, I thought I would check it out.

    And it didn't disappoint, compressing every summer camp cliché into the final day at camp. It is worth watching for the clothers alone!

      • JLH from London
  • Most recent members' review of Wet Hot American Summer

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  • 3 out of 4 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 1 star

    Dreadful

    Perhaps I do not understand the humour - or maybe there simply was nothing funny about this film. I thought with David Hyde Pierce and Janeane Garofalo it would be a treat to watch, but this is a movie dependent on gross visual situations and embarassing scripting. I find nothing entertaining or worthwhile in this movie to pass on - but, hey, you may like this sort of trash, I prefer mine in the bin.

      • A customer from Sussex
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Rating breakdown

812 Member ratings
  • 100
45
  • 90
39
  • 80
73
  • 70
89
  • 60
123
  • 50
99
  • 40
97
  • 30
83
  • 20
110
  • 10
54

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    • Wet Hot American Summer
      The staff members of Camp Firewood, feeling that they have squandered the summer of 1981, are determined to make their last day together count. Crunchy counselor Beth (Jeaneane Garofolo) finds an unexpected love interest in shy, neighboring astrophysicist Neuman (David Hyde Pierce), who is busy ...