Metascore

Mixed or average reviews - based on 24 Critics What's this?

User Score

Universal acclaim- based on 61 Ratings

  • Starring: David Hyde Pierce, Janeane Garofalo
  • Summary: 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. (Eureka Pictures)
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 24
  2. Negative: 9 out of 24
  1. The movie is so hilariously sly about something so fetishistically trivial that at times it appears to take in an entire culture through a lens made of cheese.
  2. 80
    It's not a sex movie but a parody, and the loose feel is part of its genius.
  3. 60
    A mess, bouncing nonsensically from one style of farce to another, leaving large vacuums and dead spots — which may themselves, of course, be deliberate.
  4. This low-budget comedy will most likely try the patience of a paying audience with its uneven pacing, wavering tone and poor production quality.

See all 24 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 41
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 41
  3. Negative: 3 out of 41
  1. TommyH
    10
    Just look at the non-State cast that's in this film. Cooper, Banks, Poehler, Meloni, Pierce, Moreau, Rudd, Shannon, it's ridiculous. You think all these people got it wrong? Like they didn't all WANT to be in this flick? David Wain is a genius. ANYONE who says this movie is stupid can just drive their SUV off a cliff after picking up their fat children from Sunday School. It's beyond pathetic that I ever respected morons like Stephen Hunter of the Washington Post. This movie will not be accepted as legendary for at least another decade, but when it comes down to it, many of the actors who contributed to this work will look back on it as their finest of shining moments. I can't wait for Wain and Michael to come out with the prequel to Wet Hot. Buy the State on DVD!!!! Expand
  2. If you don't like this movie, then you must be the most suffocatingly
    boring person ever. You must suck so bad that your mom punches herself
    i
    n the face every day to atone for giving birth to you. People who
    don't like this movie likely get a huge stiffy thinking about tax
    season and professional golf. I hope all you haters severely burn the
    roofs of your mouths.

    Everyone should watch this movie. Period. Awesome throwback flick with
    a great cast. Crass, goofy, slapstick, you name it, this flick has it.
    Expand
  3. BradH.
    10
    Greatest comedy ever! Definitely a movie you need to watch more than once. I've seen it about 100 times almost everytime I catch something else hilarious in the movie. The deleted scenes may be the funniest stuff I've ever seen. It took most of my friends a few tries and a little late night drunkeness to understand the humor as well! Expand
  4. DeronW.
    8
    Anyone who has given this movie a bad review...I don't care if you're an intelligent, well-read, objective, observant person who has had years of experience - is completely missing the point. Once again, Owen Geliberman is the only one who gets it. It's borderline criminal how underappreciated this movie truly is, with its one-liners, subliminal disturbing scenes, the writing, the deliberate bad acting, everything. A must own for anyone born between 1970 and 1980. I have had friends fall on the floor laughing with how ridiculous this movie is, it nails all the stereotypes it aims for with style. Expand

See all 41 User Reviews