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Wet Hot American Summer
USA Films


9.2

based on 24 reviews
Read critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

based on 48 votes
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MPAA RATING: R for strong sexual content, language and a drug sequence

Starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Michael Showalter, Marguerite Moreau, Paul Rudd, Christopher Meloni, and Molly Shannon

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)

GENRE(S):	Comedy
WRITTEN BY:	Michael Showalter David Wain
DIRECTED BY:	David Wain
RELEASE DATE:	DVD: January 15, 2002 Video: January 15, 2002 Theatrical: July 27, 2001
RUNNING TIME:	97 minutes, Color
ORIGIN:	USA

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

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.

Newsweek David Ansen

This shamefully underpromoted, gloriously silly romp made me laugh harder than any other movie this summer. Make that this year.

Chicago Reader Lisa Alspector

It's not a sex movie but a parody, and the loose feel is part of its genius.

Variety Dennis Harvey

Nearly half over before it finds a consistent groove, let alone a decent hit-to-miss joke ratio.

Boston Globe Jay Carr

The film keeps being yanked back from nothingness by this or that clever sendup, delivered by a small army of invigorated performers who seem to push off from one another's energy levels.

Mr. Showbiz Michael Atkinson

A mess, bouncing nonsensically from one style of farce to another, leaving large vacuums and dead spots — which may themselves, of course, be deliberate.

Los Angeles Times Gene Seymour

It's nice, once in a while, to come upon a movie that knows it's nothing special, proves it and doesn't care so long as its target audience feels good enough to have a refreshing beverage or two afterward.

LA Weekly Manohla Dargis

Like, you know, genius. But, like, you know, why?

The New York Times Dana Stevens

In essence, it's a ragged collection of bits and sketches cobbled into about a dozen plots, most of which call upon the cast to do a lot of tongue and neck-spraining French kissing.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer Sean Axmaker

It comes out less like a spoof than a smart-aleck remake of "Meatballs," minus the energy of Bill Murray.

Rolling Stone Peter Travers

Lulls aside, Wain and Showalter deserve camp kudos for getting the details right.

New York Post Lou Lumenick

Mostly it fails to score. Maybe that's why no one has attempted summer-camp comedy since the third "Meatballs" sequel a decade ago.

San Francisco Chronicle Edward Guthmann

Harmless enough, and its team of actors so frisky and enthusiastic that it manages to deliver a modicum of laughs despite itself.

New York Daily News Elizabeth Weitzman

The frantic proceedings are more likely to have you wishing this summer would just come to an end.

Austin Chronicle Kimberley Jones

Big, dumb, and fun.

Chicago Tribune Robert K. Elder

This low-budget comedy will most likely try the patience of a paying audience with its uneven pacing, wavering tone and poor production quality.

USA Today Claudia Plig

The writing here is rarely funny, and often trite and predictable. A couple of scenes are downright disturbing:

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

Most of the scenes fall flatter than a lead soufflé, and the film's sight gags -- Andy dumping campers' bodies by the roadside, Gene humping the refrigerator -- are outrageous without actually being funny.

Village Voice Michael Atkinson

The film exists in a humid meta-movie ether all its own.

Chicago Sun-Times Roger Ebert

I want to escape, Oh, Muddah Faddah -- Life's too short for cinematic torture.

Salon.com Charles Taylor

A thoroughly inept piece of moviemaking. You're more likely to find a ham sandwich at a Passover seder than to find a laugh in this picture.

Washington Post Desson Thomson

Stumbles right out of the gate and never regains its footing. It's sad to see a gifted comedian like Janeane Garofalo trying, but failing, to anchor this mediocre affair.

New Times (L.A.) Gregory Weinkauf

Doesn't swing, doesn't score, can't make it to first base, never even drags its sorry ass out of the dugout.

Washington Post Stephen Hunter

This is supposed to be funny? It was so depressing I almost started to cry.

The average user rating for this movie is 9.2 (out of 10) based on 48 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Clearly the critics are a few generations too old to appreciate this film, my favorite comedy of all time.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
It disgusts me to read these quotes. This is one of my personal favorite comedies. It seems impossible for the critics, the ones with assumed sophisticated taste in film, to fail to see the true brilliance, creativity, and originality of such a funny film. No I'm gonna go see how my bud's doin in class, gotta check on his grades, see how hes doing.

Brad H. gave it a10:
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!

Tim G. gave it a10:
To all the critics who gave this movie a bad review; stick to reviewing other genres because you have no idea what truly great comedy is. Leave the comedy reviews to the Onion. (which by the way they gave this film a good review)They are right almost all the time because their brilliant comedy writers. You're damaging people's careers and hurting peoples feelings with your ignorance of not recognizing genius comedy. Chris Meloni's brilliant absurd performance deserves to be seen. Also David Wain's amazing juggling act of satirizing and embracing the summer camp genre movie at the same time should also be recognized. And the leaving the camp for an hour montage sequence, where they quickly descend from sneaking smokes to shooting up smack and prostituting themselves is one of the funniest moments ever in film. Its a damn shame this film didn't get better reviewed.

Jud S. gave it a10:
Okay, look. I can see why the critics don't like it. Showalter-Wain comedy is so far out of the mainstream, that I don't think it will ever be universally accepted. Yet, in a strange way, these guys are on the cutting edge of modern comedy. Whether people realize it or not, these two writers will have a permanent influence on the evolution of comedy. One small example: This movie was on the front end of a generation's fascination with '80s culture. Now, '80s-fueled humor is all over Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and has become the butt of 60-70 percent of jokes on new Family Guy (arguably the funniest TV of our generation) episodes. You tell me that's not influential.

Liz S. gave it a10:
This is the most hilarious feel good movie. If you have any sense of humor its definately not a waste. And if you're going to use these "intelligent" phrases to critique a movie you should know better not to watch something called "Wet Hot American Summer" Anyone who didn't like it is either the type to look too much into movies, or not be watching them at all. Now i'm gonna go hump the fridge.

Andy L. gave it a10:
You all taste like burger, i dont like you anymore!

Wet Hot American Summer USA Films

Wet Hot American Summer
USA Films