Summer Camp

I didn't have super high hopes for "Summer Camp" after seeing the trailer and poster. Sure, the cast features some promising actors, but the overall delivery is cheesy, poorly developed and at times boring...

Let's start with our three leading females. Alfre Woodard probably is the best of the three, as she tries her best to make use of the material. Kathy Bates (in a questionable wig) is fine, but the creative team could have given her so much more to do. And then there is Diane Keaton playing Diane Keaton. Diane - I love you, but it's time to break out of your shell a bit.

Finally, there are a few charming moments, but they are minimized by the lackluster screenplay and okay direction. This is a film for actors to collect a paycheck and have a little fun, but don't expect much substance.

For a movie with such a talented, capable cast, with several Oscar/Emmy winners, this is an embarrassment. I don't remember even smiling during the entire film, especially as I sat fuming about how much I'd spent to waste my time. The price of admission was all that kept me from walking out, unlike several others sitting in front of me who had more sense. It was like someone said "Who wants to make a few bucks? It won't require much effort." It's not even worth wasting your time if someone picks it up for streaming. This could easily have been a hilarious, poignant movie but falls absolutely flat. Not even sure why I gave it 2 stars.

Very cute but also incredibly lacking. I generally love this genre of heartwarming film but Summer Camp was missing an anchor. The story was a bit uneven in pacing; some scenes seemed out of order, we could have flashed back to the younger campers a little more and I think it would have added to the emotional depth. The writing wasn't quite there and the acting also seemed flat for a large portion of the film. None of the emotion felt earned, it felt as though the audience was being told "this is an important moment" rather than feeling the important moments. There wasn't enough character development to really feel invested in the characters' journeys.

Summer Camp features a promising cast. Unfortunately they are brought down by weird plastic surgery, a strange cairacture supptoring role, and a food fight between 60-somethings, which would never happen. The most real parts of the movie were in the very first scenes, when the main characters were girls.

The premise makes me wish I could return to my summer camp days: sleeping in a cabin, making frieds with other girls, doing arts and crafts, waterfront, and campfire.

This script did nothing for these star players. Costuming was totally unrealistic as well. I would have fallen asleep if I was watching this at home; fortunately I was in a theater with food and a beer.

Is it just me or does Diane Keaton not know how to play ANY other character types? My gosh, she is so one-dimensional. I cannot remember the last time I actually saw her act. She wears the same clothes, same glasses, same haircut, same sthick (Oh! Silly me!)... Yet Hollywood acts as if she's SO fabulous. Her movies are nothing but self-congratulatory fluff. Clearly Hollywood is desperate for new story lines. It's like watching re-runs over and over again. Mack and Rita? Puh-lease! The same neurotic character over and over and over! Stop already! Summer Camp? Really? Alfrie Woodard and Cathy Bates? Awesome.