This mockumentary is by, for, and about hardcore theater geeks, but for a while anyway, it's a show that's infectious enough to entertain casual fans. There's an energy that says, ``Let's do it.'' For despite the intense audition montage and clever phrase turns that propel the first act, ``Theatre Camp'' ultimately drags into the middle, before picking itself back up for the grand finale. . The film is based on a 2020 short created by directors Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman with co-writers Ben Platt and Noah Galvin, and the tensions of expanding the concept into a full-length feature I can feel it. Ultimately, the film completely abandons the faux-documentary structure, making it seem unnecessary in the first place.

The filmmakers' love for this material, this setting, and each other is clear
 They are all close friends who have grown up and worked together for years. Is that the image of cute kids performing on stage at the beginning of the movie? That was long before Gordon and Pratt became famous for their roles in TV's "The Bear" and the musical "Dear Evan Hansen," respectively. Galvin also starred in Broadway's "Dear Evan Hansen" and is engaged to Pratt. Gordon and Galvin both had important supporting roles in Olivia Wilde's "Booksmart." Lieberman is the only one of the four not to have appeared on screen, but she has been friends with Pratt since high school and directed some of his music videos.It's clear how much they love their world of hamster, sociopathic children who thrive within a tribe in this idyllic location hours from New York. Because they themselves have lived in this world. However, their execution does not always match the power of their emotions.

"Theatre Camp" gets off to a promising start with Pratt and Gordon co-starring as Amos and Rebecca Diane, former campers with dreams of stardom who now return year after year as counselors. AdirondaACTS (an interesting idea in itself) is a collection of dilapidated cabins that have long since improved but are still filled with youthful cheer each summer. But this year, with founder Joanne (played by Amy Sedaris in a frustratingly brief appearance) in a coma following a "Bye Bye Birdie"-related seizure, acting coach Amos and music teacher Rebecca Diane are running the entire operation. must be directed. Joan's aspiring financier son, Troy (Jimmy Tatro), appears and tries to impose his will on Joan, but the precocious theater kids quickly see through his deception and reject him.
However, the show must go on. It's very entertaining for a while, but its growth is inconsistent. Some of the kids are extremely talented, especially Bailey Bonnick, Luke Islam, and Alexander Bello. It would have been nice to get to know them a little more than just watching them belt out show tunes and emotes with depth beyond their years. In fact, they're far more interesting than the adult characters, with the exception of Galvin's Glenn, a master of his craft with a secret. Alan Kim, the young star of ``Minari,'' is a bit involved in the role of an aspiring agent who wears a suit and spends all day on the phone, embodying both the humor and flaws of ``Theatre Camp.'' It's interestingly specific, but also woefully underdeveloped. This also applies to the presence of Ayo Edebiri, who is very good alongside Gordon in “The Bear”. Her character appears here under questionable circumstances that are hardly explored enough in the film. Advertisement Beneath the excitement that permeated the preparations for "Joan, Still," the original season-ending musical honoring the founder of Adirondack ACTS, the camp was on the brink of foreclosure, and a wealthy children's camp nearby There is a potential threat that is aimed at that. Expand to their land. That might make for a cheeky '80s-style class-struggle comedy, but it never does.

The problem here is that we don't get much of what Theater Camp does, from the loving send-off of serious thespians in Waiting for Guffman to the blissful insularity of Wet. That's what I've seen, and what I've seen done better. Hot summer in America. ” Additionally, Todd Graff wrote and directed his 2003 indie film “Camp,” which is similar to this one, starring a young Anna Kendrick and Robin DeJesus. Advertisement Still, there are enough moments here sprinkled with big laughs. Some of the lyrics in the original song are hilariously awful. Experiments exploring children's past lives are surprisingly strange. And some of the strong advice counselors give to eager young people is completely inappropriate. You may not leave humming a song, but you will leave with a smile on your face.