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Since “Moulin Rouge” brought back the musical genre a
few years ago, a number of films have been released with some critical success. The indie film “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” made a smooth
transition from stage to screen and so was “Chicago”, which of course,
won the Oscar for Best Film earlier this year. Another film set to come out
now and is being compared to “Fame” is “Camp”. Most films that feature
kids at a camp are usually seen on the small screen and with no appeal.
Anyone who has ever gone to camp has probably felt like an outsider at
one point until they found a friend with common interests. It could be in
sports or books or the opposite sex. Well, in “Camp” the common interests
are music and theater productions and the payoff inf the film is worth
the price of admission. An audience pleaser at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and ready
to go to wider theaters, “Camp” is solidly entertaining with a thrilling
soundtrack.
The story of Michael (De Jesus) opens up the film, as he's getting pounded
on at his junior prom by his peers when he shows up in a drag costume. As the kids
get ready to go to Camp Ovation, old friends get reacquainted as their
parents see them off. Ellen (Chilcoat), who's shy and asked her brother to take
her to prom, is a very good friend of Michael. Michael thinks things
will be the same as last year until Vlad (Letterle), the latest newcomer
to Camp Ovation, shows up and steals everyone’s attention. This guy is
not only straight but he can sing and play the guitar as well. He’s not
used to being “the man”, but he loves the attention, including from Jill,
the blonde girl who’s usually the lead in the most of the plays at Camp
Ovation. Jill has taken the lead in most of the plays until Fritzi (Kendrick)
decides she’s had enough of waiting for her turn, and gets competitive.
Vlad can’t believe that a new production is performed every week and
they mostly feature Sondheim songs. Meanwhile, Jenna (Taylor)’s parents
decided that if she were going to lose weight this summer, she would
need to eat less, so they had her jaws shut, sort of speak. While the
kids are basking in the glory of doing a new production every week and
enhancing their talent, guest director Bert Hanley (Don Dixon) can’t
stop drinking and forget the fact that he hasn’t had a Broadway hit in
ten years and the kids know it. Instead of letting the kids have some
fun, he wants them to know that there’s pain and suffering in the real
world, and wants to kill any uplifting spirit that they may have in terms
of landing a gig on Broadway. But through the passion the kids have and
the talent they display, he’s slowly coming around.
Rather than being a film with convoluted plots, Director Todd Graf has
used them with fantastic musical numbers. There’s enough in this
film for all ages to appreciate. Jill and Fritzi are just hilarious as they play
out a scene from “All About Eve” while performing “Company” on stage.
The actors, who are relatively unknowns, are very gifted. Letterle, Chilcoat,
and De Jesus stand out amongst the group as each is facing an adolescence
crisis that only time will solve. Graf based this film on some personal
stories he witness while he attended the famous Stagedoor Manor, which
had the likes Robert Downey Jr., and Jon Cryer when they were kids. Tiffany
Taylor, who doesn’t do much for most of the film except when she sings,
but when she does, the film raises to another level. Her rendition of “Here’s
Where I Stand” is clearly the best number in the film and gives a new
meaning to understanding one’s plight with weight. Not every character
is developed, but it doesn’t matter here, for the lessons are clearly
established. Part of being a teenager is learning who we are and going
outside the boundaries set forth by the adults. Never let anyone tear
into your dreams and challenge them. “Camp” is a film that where being
normal is not acceptable. Be who you want to be and aim high with conviction. |