Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Set on the last day of camp, in the hot summer of 1981, a group of counselors try to complete their unfinished business before the day ends.

Director:

David Wain

Writers:

Michael Showalter, David Wain

Stars:

Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Janeane Garofalo	...	Beth
David Hyde Pierce	...	Henry
Michael Showalter	...	Coop
Marguerite Moreau	...	Katie
Paul Rudd	...	Andy
Zak Orth	...	J.J.
Christopher Meloni	...	Gene
A.D. Miles	...	Gary
Molly Shannon	...	Gail
Gideon Jacobs	...	Aaron
Ken Marino	...	Victor
Joe Lo Truglio	...	Neil
Michael Ian Black	...	McKinley
Liam Norton	...	Arty
Amy Poehler	...	Susie

Storyline

The setting is Camp Firewood, the year 1981. It's the last day before everyone goes back to the real world, but there's still a summer's worth of unfinished business to resolve. At the center of the action is camp director Beth, who struggles to keep order while she falls in love with the local astrophysics professor. He is busy trying to save the camp from a deadly piece of NASA's Skylab which is hurtling toward earth. All that, plus: a dangerous waterfall rescue, love triangles, misfits, cool kids, and talking vegetable cans. The questions will all be resolved, of course, at the big talent show at the end of the day.

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Plot Keywords:

year 1981 | tube sock | car crashing into a tree | sex scene | rescue | 

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Taglines:

High Times. Hard Bodies. Soft Rock.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexual content, language and a drug sequence

Details

Official Sites:

Eureka Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 April 2002 (Czech Republic)

Also Known As:

Wet Hot American Summer

Filming Locations:

Honesdale, Pennsylvania, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$5,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$17,481, 29 July 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$292,102, 7 October 2001

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eureka Pictures, North Coast Group

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The shooting script included a dark comedy scene where careless counselor Andy (Paul Rudd) murdered a camper in order to cover up the many drowning or other deaths that occurred due to his negligence, but Director and co-Writer David Wain cut the scene after he gave the screenplay to his father to look at, because Wain's father said Wain would be disowned by him if he put something that horrible in the movie.

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Goofs

Most of the cars and trucks (including the camp pick up truck) seen in this movie were built after 1981. With the exception of the camp van, and a few other vehicles.

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Quotes

Coop: When we first started hanging out together, this morning, we were just friends; but things change, and I've fallen in love with you. I just know that if you gave me a chance, I could make you feel so good. So I am coming, not as your buddy, and not as a co-counselor, but for the first time as a man - a man who loves a woman, and who wants to hold her and provide for her and, yes, have sex with her; but no, seriously, Katie, I love the way you laugh and I love the way your hair smells and I love...

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Crazy Credits

Special thanks to the extras who bravely survived a cold, wet, Pennsylvanian spring.

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Alternate Versions

DVD contains several deleted scenes.

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Connections

Spoofs Bloodsport (1988)

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Soundtracks

When It's Over
Written by Paul Dean and Mike Reno (as Joseph Reno)
Performed by Loverboy
Courtesy of Columbia Records and Sony Music Entertainment (Canada) Inc.
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Not funny, for serious.

I have read all of the on-line reviews of this movie and I don't understand what all the fuss is about. I mean, I'm from Philadelphia, and Wet Hot American Summer was just about the worst movie I've seen all year. If this is supposed to be satire, it falls flat. If this is supposed to be absurdity, it's pretty banal. Looking at this movie from 1000 different angles, I see 1000 bad movies, and I don't want to hear "you just don't get it." That is a lazy defense of a comedy. Try giving reasons, evidence, support for your claims. You know, the essence of an argument. I don't know, I don't really care anyways. Just forget it.